2014/15 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 2014/15
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
PHIL1008 | Introduction to Logic |
This module is mutually exclusive with
MATH2040 | Mathematical Logic 1 |
Module replaces
PHIL2010 Formal LogicThis 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 type | Number | Length hours | Student hours |
Lecture | 11 | 1.00 | 11.00 |
Tutorial | 8 | 1.00 | 8.00 |
Private study hours | 181.00 | ||
Total Contact hours | 19.00 | ||
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 type | Exam duration | % of formal assessment |
Standard exam (closed essays, MCQs etc) | 3 hr 00 mins | 100.00 |
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 websiteLast updated: 12/01/2015
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- Undergraduate module catalogue
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