Philosophy 310: Valid Reasoning II
Spring 2013
MWF 11:30 - 12:25 am in CC232
Professor: Craig DeLancey
Email: craig.delancey@oswego.edu
Office: Campus Center 212A
Office Hours: WF 1:30 p.m. -- 2:30 p.m. and by appointment



Introduction

This class develops the skills and knowledge from PHL111, Valid Reasoning, to ask more radical questions about logic and its applications. Topics covered will include: first order logic with multiple quantifiers and identity; axiomatic approaches to propositional logic, and the completeness of propositional logic; axiomatic approaches to first order logic, and the completeness of first order logic; modal logic and applications and interpretations of modality. We'll also be learning a bit of set theory, and more about proofs (e.g., mathematical induction).


Text

We'll be picking an choosing from many texts, most of which will be in eReserves. However, the text from which we will draw the most, and which is available at the bookstore, is
Mendelson, Elliot. Introduction to Mathematical Logic, Fourth Edition. New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN: 0412808307 or 978-0412808302.
We will attempt writing up class notes together also.


Assignments and exams

You will have three exams, and also frequent (ideally, weekly) homework assignments.

Logic is a discipline that requires practice. Homeworks will be graded strictly, in order to make clear what you have done correctly and what not; but your overall homework grade will be curved. Also, note that I will sometimes give you questions about material we have not discussed in class yet. This is a way to get you to think about the material before the lecture, so that you are better aware of what the lecture is about, what you need to understand from the lecture, what you may be failing to understand, and so on.

You can work together, but you must write up your homeworks by yourself. This means that you will not get credit for identifiably identical homeworks.

If you have a disabling condition which may interfere with your ability to successfully complete this course, please contact the Disability Services Office.

Grading

The raw grade will be determined in the following way:
Homework assignments: 40%
Class exams: 35% (15%, then 20%)
Comprehensive final exam: 25%
Note that the exams count more as the class progresses. This means that you always have an opportunity in this class to catch up and do significantly better. This also accommodates that some people learn at different rates.

See my grading policy for a brief note on how I turn the raw grade into a final grade.

Homeworks will sometimes be reviewed in the class period where they are due. For this reason, late homeworks will not be accepted for credit.

I regret that I cannot accept homework by email. Also, I delete all the following emails unanswered: "I missed class today, can you tell me everything you said?" "I don't have the book, can you type up the problems and email them to me?" "I know you don't accept homework by email, but can I email my homework to you until I come to class sometime and give you the hardcopy then?"

If you miss an exam and have an excused absence for the day you miss the exam, you may make it up, by special appointment with me, when you are able to come back to class. It is your responsibility to arrange any make-up exams as soon as you know you are going to miss the exam. Otherwise you may lose the opportunity to take the test, since I cannot give make-up exams after the class has gone over the answers.

Here is how you secure an excused absence: Only prior notification with credibly documented or easily verifiable reasons (e.g., medical visits to Mary Walker, documented participation in official sporting events, etc.) will result in excused absences. You must notify in writing, call, or email me prior to your absence from class. You must notify the Philosophy Dept. secretary, Pat Meleski, before you are going to be absent, via email at meleski@oswego.edu, or by phone at x2249. However, you must make sure she knows your name, the number of the course, the date, and your easily verifiable reason, along with a request to forward the information to me. It is better to give your information to me, except when you are unable to communicate with my phone or email for some reason.

Please hold onto all of your assignments and exams. Sometime before the end of the semester I recommend that you ask me to review the grades that I have recorded to make sure that I have not made any mistakes. I'm only human and can make typos in recording grades!

Any forms of cheating will earn a zero grade, and will be reported to the Dean.


College Policy on Intellectual Integrity

Intellectual integrity on the part of all students is basic to individual growth and development through college course work. When academic dishonesty occurs, the teaching/learning climate is seriously undermined and student growth and development are impeded. For these reasons, any form of intellectual dishonesty is a serious concern and is therefore prohibited.

The full intellectual integrity policy can be found at www.oswego.edu/administration/registrar/policy_text.html#cpii


Office Hours

In addition to the listed office hours, I encourage you to make appointments. I am available quite a bit. Please try to come to office hours with specific questions in mind. You can of course come with a general request for help, but it is always helpful if you spend a little time thinking about how I can best help you out.


Schedule

I will frequently update an online schedule of readings and yassignments. It is your responsibility to check the www pages for the class at least every other day!

Goals

We have 14 weeks together. I'd like to cover approximately the following material:
  1. Review natural deduction. Introduction to set theory.
  2. Natural deduction with several quantifiers. More set theory.
  3. Introduce an axiomatic system. The propositional logic.
  4. Proofs with the natural deduction system. Mathematical induction.
  5. Proving stengthening. Proving completeness.
  6. Propositional logic axiom system.
  7. Completeness of propositional logic.
  8. Peano axioms.
  9. Proving things with the Peano axioms.
  10. Recursion theory from 10,000 feet.
  11. Modal logic. Basic systems.
  12. Modal logic: Kripke semantics.
  13. Applying modal logic to some philosophical problems.
  14. Other philosophical applications, such as deontic and temporal logics.