PHIL 155.001 – Truth and Proof: Introduction to Mathematical Logic

Instructor: DeeAnn Spicer. This course meets MTWRF 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. via remote synchronous (RS) instruction.

When evaluating an argument, we can care about a number of factors. One of the things we usually care about is whether or not the conclusion to the argument is true. However, another important part of the argument is whether the premises of the argument lead to the truth or falsity conclusion in the right way. For example, here is an argument where the conclusion may be true, but it doesn’t seem to follow from the premises and form of the argument:

•  The sky is blue, or the ocean is blue. The sky is blue. Therefore, the ocean is blue

In this course students will learn how formal logic can be used to evaluate arguments like the one above. This will involve, among other things, learning how to translate English sentences into formal language, and learning how to evaluate arguments using truth tables and formal proofs. Students will be evaluated through homework, quizzes and exams.