Module and Programme Catalogue

Search site

Find information on

2015/16 Undergraduate Module Catalogue

PHIL2122 Formal Logic

20 creditsClass Size: 80

Module manager: Paolo Santorio
Email: p.santorio@leeds.ac.uk

Taught: Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) View Timetable

Year running 2015/16

Pre-requisite qualifications

This module is only available as an elective for students studying on Linguistics, Mathematics and Computing modules with relevant prerequisites.

Pre-requisites

PHIL1008Introduction to Logic

This module is mutually exclusive with

MATH2040Mathematical Logic 1

Module replaces

PHIL2010 Formal Logic

This module is not approved as a discovery module

Module summary

This module is only available as an discovery module for students studying on Linguistics, Mathematics and Computing modules with relevant prerequisites.Throughout the history of philosophy, philosophers have been keen to identify the principles of logic: those most general principles that we can always rely on not to take us wrong. In this course we examine the formal theories of logic in more detail than in PHIL 1800: Elementary Logic (which is a pre-requisite for this course). You will learn about rigorous methods for proving whether an argument is valid or invalid. You will learn how to reason formally about a formal system. You will learn about modern developments in non-classical logic. This module will be of use and interest to mathematicians and computer scientists. But it should also be of use and interest to anyone who is interested in how we can rigorously establish conclusions: the formal study of logic is not some abstract technical theory, but a tool for sharpening our own thinking. There is no area of study in which argument is not important, and therefore no area of study in which knowledge of logic cannot help.The module is taught through lectures and tutorials and assessed by a final exam.

Objectives

On completion of this module, students should be able to:

1. demonstrate an understanding of the difference between syntactic and semantic approaches to logic;
2. prove and refute certain key theses both in a formal system and about a formal system;
3. use models to demonstrate the invalidity of arguments of predicate logic; and
4. understand and use at least one formal extension of or alternative to classical logic.

Syllabus

1. Propositional calculus is briefly revisited and the students meet their first theorem about a familiar system is proved: the propositional connectives are adequate.
2. An axiom system for Propositional calculus. The students learn to prove rigorous theorems axiomatically.
3. Soundness and completeness. The truth tables and axiom systems are shown to be extensionally equivalent.
4. Models for Predicate calculus. The students are introduced to the semantics of predicate calculus and learn how to use them to show that an argument is invalid.
5. The limits of classical logic. The students go beyond classical logic either by examining an alternative (such as intuitionistic logic) or an extension (such as modal logic), and learn how to use a non-classical logic.

Teaching methods

Delivery typeNumberLength hoursStudent hours
Lecture111.0011.00
Tutorial81.008.00
Private study hours181.00
Total Contact hours19.00
Total hours (100hr per 10 credits)200.00

Private study

- Lecture preparation: 81 hours
- Tutorial preparation: 50 hours
- Exam preparation: 50 hours.

Opportunities for Formative Feedback

There will be a mock exam paper distributed in eighth week for those who want one.

Methods of assessment


Exams
Exam typeExam duration% of formal assessment
Standard exam (closed essays, MCQs etc)3 hr 00 mins100.00
Total percentage (Assessment Exams)100.00

Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated

Reading list

The reading list is available from the Library website

Last updated: 12/01/2015

Disclaimer

Browse Other Catalogues

Errors, omissions, failed links etc should be notified to the Catalogue Team.PROD

© Copyright Leeds 2019