Formal Logic PHIL4014

  • Academic Session: 2024-25
  • School: School of Humanities
  • Credits: 20
  • Level: Level 4 (SCQF level 10)
  • Typically Offered: Semester 1
  • Available to Visiting Students: Yes
  • Collaborative Online International Learning: No

Short Description

This course introduces students to the meta-theory of propositional and predicate logic.

Timetable

Normally two meetings per week during the teaching period, including at least four hours of seminars.

This is one of the senior honours options in Philosophy. It may not run every year. Options running this year are available on MyCampus

Requirements of Entry

Available to all students fulfilling requirements for Honours entry into Philosophy, and by arrangement to visiting students or students of other Honours programmes.

Assessment

A two-hour examination (100%).

Main Assessment In: April/May

Are reassessment opportunities available for all summative assessments? Not applicable

Reassessments are normally available for all courses, except those which contribute to the Honours classification. For non Honours courses, students are offered reassessment in all or any of the components of assessment if the satisfactory (threshold) grade for the overall course is not achieved at the first attempt. This is normally grade D3 for undergraduate students and grade C3 for postgraduate students. Exceptionally it may not be possible to offer reassessment of some coursework items, in which case the mark achieved at the first attempt will be counted towards the final course grade. Any such exceptions for this course are described below. 

Course Aims

To introduce students to the meta-theory of propositional and predicate logic

Intended Learning Outcomes of Course

Students should be able to:
· Use the method of proof by induction on length of formula and length of proof;
· Find a formula in disjunctive normal form for any given truth table;
· Determine whether a set of connectives is expressively adequate;
· Distinguish semantic from syntactic entailment, and explain what is meant by soundness and completeness proofs;
· Prove propositional sequents;
· Prove the soundness and completeness theorems for propositional logic;
· Explain the main ideas in Tarski's truth definition for predicate logic;
· Prove simple sequents of predicate logic;
· Explain the main ideas in the soundness and completeness theorems for predicate logic;
· Determine simple properties of binary relations.

Minimum Requirement for Award of Credits

Students must submit at least 75% by weight of the components (including examinations) of the course's summative assessment.