SYLLABUS

INTRODUCTION TO LOGIC

Instructor: D. Piche

Office: Behavioral Science

W Bldg (Secretary) & BES-2 (Office)

Phone Ext. 2336

Course Orientation:

The course is an introduction to logic and the art of making sense. It's purpose is the development of critical thinking and writing skills through the cultivation of deductive and inductive logical acuity in writing. The emphasis is on recognizing assumptions, clear thinking, rational persuasion and avoiding logical fallacies in language. These will be accomplished through an analysis of argumentative essays, the logical syntax of statements, hypotheses, deductive and inductive arguments and reasoning.

Course Objectives:

Upon completion of this course you should be able to:

- Write well reasoned and cogently argued essays.

- Identify premises, conclusions and the structures of

deductive and inductive arguments.

- Assess and formulate arguments using deductive and

inductive analyses.

- Recognize assumptions made in arguments.

- Identify, explain and use valid forms of deductive and

inductive arguments in writing.

- Recognize and indentify common logical fallacies.

Required Text:

-Hurley, P. A Concise Introduction To Logic. 7th. ed.,

Wadsworth, 1999.

-Schick, T.Jr. & Vaughn, L..How To Think About Weird Things:

Critical Thinking for a New Age. 2nd. ed., Mayfield, 1999.

Auxiliary Materials: Instructor Handouts and Exercises.

Method of Instruction:

The course will be composed of lecture-discussion, readings and written exercises. You will be responsible for the material from all three sources. It is assumed that you will budget your time in order to complete the readings and exercises in order to keep pace with the material presented in class. There will be a series of in class essays and writing assignments which will total approximately 20 pages. There will be four tests each of which emphasize the work (exercises) done in class. The writing and logic exercises are designed to nurture a skill and the tests are designed to measure that skill. It is important therefore that you come to class and do the writing assignments and exercises in order to do well in this course.

Attendance is expected at all class meetings. If you miss a class it is assumed that you will acquire the material you missed on your own. Students should notify the instructor in writing in the event of an extended absence. Students who "disappear" from the course will not be dropped automatically and will receive an "F" as a grade for the course.

EXAM POLICY: You will be expected to keep pace with the course. Consequently, exams will usually not be announced in advanced. If you miss an examination a makeup will only be allowed in cases of sufficient warrant. I will consider prearrangements and arguments of severe exceptions. Any makeup granted will be considerably more difficult than the original.

Grading: Your grade will be based upon a 100 point scale. The tests will count for 50 percent of your grade. The written exercises will count for the other 50 percent. There will be no credit given for late written work. A curve factor may be calculated at the end of the course but the maximum points required for each grade is as follows:

A-90 pts, B-80 pts; C-70 pts; D-60 pts.

TOPICS

Introduction, Arguments and Validity

Schick and Vaughn -Entire Text

Chapter 1, pp.1-75.

Recognizing deductive and inductive arguments

premises , conclusions and deductive syllogisms

Inductive reasoning and cogency

Informal Logical Fallacies

Chapter 3, pp.118-198.

Argument Essays, Hurley 1-5 (3pts each for 15 pts)

Test I

Mapping Logical Structures in Written Language

Chapter 6.1,6.2,6.3, pp.301-324.

Negation, Conjunction, Disjunction

Handouts 1,2.

Conditionals

Handouts 3,4.

Essays, Hurley 6-10 (3pts each for 15 pts)

Test II

Writing Essays With Natural Deduction Mapping and Extended Reasoning Using Elementary Argument Forms

Argument Forms and Validity

Chapter 6.6, pp.345-363.

Chapter 7.1, 7.2, pp.364-383.

Handouts 8,9..

Extended Argument Essays With Natural Deduction

Essays 11-3pts, 12-3pts, 13-3pts.

Test III

Writing Essays With Natural Deduction And Extended Reasoning Using Transformation Rules

Chapter 7.3,7.4, pp.3384-404..

Handouts 10,11.

Extended Argument Essays With Transformation Rules.

Essays 14-3pts, 15-3pts, 16-3pts.

Test IV