Philosophy 10: Introduction to Logic

Winter 2020
Time: MW 10-10:50am Room: Center Hall 101
Instructor: Monique Wonderly
Email: [email protected]
Office: HSS 8047
Office Hours: W 1pm-2pm (and by appointment)
TAs: Claudi Brink, Emma Duncan, and Marcus McGahhey

1. Short Description

Content: This course consists of six parts of roughly equal length. In the first four
parts we will cover the basics of formal sentential logic, including translations into formal
notation, truth tables, and proofs. In the 5th part we will study informal reasoning,
focusing on ways that it can commonly go wrong. The sixth part will cover cognitive
biases. Note that students in this class are expected to complete their own work on all
in-class quizzes and the final exam, and not copy from other students or any other
source, nor allow other students to copy from them.

Grades: Grades are based on five quizzes given in class and one final exam.

2. Materials and Tentative Schedule

Textbook: The text for the course is Basic Sentential Logic, Informal Fallacies, and
Cognitive Biases (BSIC), which is available at UCSD bookstore. The text contains practice
quizzes for all quizzes (and solutions) and a practice final exam, with solutions.

Supplementary Materials: Rick Grush has lecture videos, practice exercises,

and slides for each chapter available for viewing/download. Links are below.

Note*: Dr. Grush has designed an excellent course, and our course will largely follow
his format. However, our course structure will differ a bit from Dr. Grush's standard
course. His videos regarding course organization and his practice quiz questions on
optional material and his specific syllabus will not apply to us. I recommend taking
advantage of the rest of the helpful materials that he has generously provided.

The Youtube channel that has Rick Grush's lecture videos is here:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_jOluHMn7INuN6S6IWBGjw

Exercises: There are many exercises for each chapter. You can find links to the
exercises and solutions for each chapter on the appropriate row of the schedule below.

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Tentative Schedule (NOTE: Quizzes are given during lecture)

Exercises Videos Slides

Chapter 1 Ch. 1
Exercises What is logic? What is
1/6 BSIC Ch 1 (online Ch 1, Sect. 1.1 Logic?
1/8 BSIC Ch 1 HTML) Ch 1, Sect. 1.2.1
1/13 BSIC Ch 1 Ch 1, Sect 1.2.2 & 1.2 .3
1/15 QUIZ 1 Ch. 1 Ch. 1, Sect. 1.2.4
Exercises Ch. 1, Sect. 1.2.5 & 1.2.6
(65 page Ch. 1, Sect. 1.2.7
Chapter 1
PDF) Ch. 1, Sect. 1.2.8 Slides

Chapter 2 Ch. 2 Sections 2.1 & 2.2

Exercises Section 2.3 Chapter 2
(online Section 2.4 Slides
1/22 BSIC Ch 2
HTML) Section 2.5
1/27 BSIC Ch 2
Section 2.6
1/29 QUIZ 2 Ch. 2 Sections 2.7 & 2.8
Exercises
(146 page
PDF)

‘Unless’
Conditionals

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Chapter 3 Ch. 3 Sections 3.1-3.4 (A) MP and DS
Exercises (21 min) Chapter 3
2/3 BSIC Ch 3
(online Sections 3.1-3.4 (B) Why Proofs work Slides
HTML) (13 min)
2/5 BSIC Ch 3
Sections 3.1-3.4 (C) MT and DI
2/10 QUIZ 3 Ch. 3 (17 min)
Exercises Sections 3.1-3.4 (D) Simp and Conj
(107 page (15 min)
PDF) Sections 3.1-3.4 (E) Dos and Don’ts
(11 min)
Section 3.5 Conditional Proof
(27 min)
Section 3.6 Subproof Frames
(9min)

Chapter 4 Ch. 4 Sections 4.1-4.4 [ Ch 4

Exercises Section 4.5 Slides ]
2/12 BSIC Ch 4 Section 4.7
2/19 BSIC Ch 4
2/24 QUIZ 4

Chapter 5 Ch. 5 [ Vid for 5.1-5.3 ] [ Ch 5

Exercises [ Vid for 5.4-5.9 ] Slides ]
2/26 BSIC Ch 5 [ Practice Quiz 5 ]
[ Anncy’s
3/2 BSIC Ch 5
Slides ]
3/4 QUIZ 5

Chapter 6 Ch. 6 [ Vid for 6.1-6.4 ]

Exercises [ Vid for 6.5-6.7 ]
3/9 BSIC Ch 6 (online
3/11 BSIC Ch 6 HTML)

Ch. 6
Exercises
(57 page
PDF)

Final Exam Some

additional
Fri. 3/20 Time: final exam
8am-10:59pm practice
Room: TBD questions

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3. Quizzes, final exam, grades, etc.

There are six chapters in the text. Chapters 1-5 will each have a quiz worth 100 points, and
a section on the final exam worth 50. Chapter 6 will not have a separate quiz, but will have
150 points worth of questions on the final exam. So each chapter has a total of 150 points
associated with it. And there are 6 chapters. So that is 900 points total.

Chapter 1: Quiz 1 = 100 points + Final Section 1 = 50 points = Total: 150 points
Chapter 2: Quiz 2 = 100 points + Final Section 2 = 50 points = Total: 150 points
Chapter 3: Quiz 3 = 100 points + Final Section 3 = 50 points = Total: 150 points
Chapter 4: Quiz 4 = 100 points + Final Section 4 = 50 points = Total: 150 points
Chapter 5: Quiz 5 = 100 points + Final Section 5 = 50 points = Total: 150 points
Chapter 6: n/a + Final Section 6 = 150 points = Total: 150 points

Letter Grades C- is Passing!

Letter Cut-off Letter Cut-off

Grade
Grade

A 93% C+ 77%

A- 90% C 73%

B+ 87% C- 70%

B 83% D 60%

B- 80% F 0

Missed quiz policy

Quizzes are given in class on the days and times specified on the syllabus (or announced on
Canvas in case of a change to the schedule) only. No make-up quizzes, either after the
scheduled time or before the scheduled time, are given. If you are unable to be there at the
specified time to take any of quizzes 1 through 5 for a legitimate reason, such as car
accident, serious medical injury, or illness that you can verify with a doctor’s note, the
points you miss can be made up in the following way: The final exam has sections that
correspond to material from each quiz -- each worth 50 points. If a student misses a quiz
for a legitimate reason, then the points that the student earns on the section of the final
that corresponds to the missed quiz will be multiplied by 2, and that number used for the
student's missed quiz score (because 50 x 2 = 100). So for example, if you miss quiz 3 for a
legitimate reason, then that is 100 points you missed. And on the final, if you get 40/50
points on Section 3 of the final, then we will multiply that by 2 to get 80/100. And so we will
fill in your quiz 3 score with an 80. Legitimate reasons include serious illness with a
doctor's note. Personal travel plans that conflict with the schedule, forgetting
about the quiz, etc., are not legitimate excuses.

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Section Participation
Sections are optional, in that students are not required to attend sections. However, it is a
good idea to attend and participate.

Academic integrity and requirements for taking the quizzes

and final exam
No notes or books or other materials are allowed during any quiz or the final. You will need
only writing implements. Pen or pencil is fine. Don’t even bring blank sheets of paper with
you. We’ll have extra sheets of blank paper with us if you need more space. All work should
be written on the test itself (or extra sheets we give you if you need more space), as
instructed.

4. Online Announcements
This course uses Canvas. Know how to access your account and check for messages.
Make sure you adjust the settings so all announcements are also sent to you via e-mail.
That way, you will get all announcements as they are made. Don't worry, only I and the
TAs can post, so you won't be getting any spam. You are responsible for reading the
announcements on Canvas.

5. Information for OSD students

If you are a student approved by OSD for special accommodations, you need to coordinate
with me beforehand. For students who need 1.5 times the regular test time, the usual
practice for quizzes is to set you up in the philosophy department at the scheduled time,
and for the final exam, 2 hours before the scheduled start time. The location is usually the
department library. But for EACH quiz for which you need accommodations (or the final),
you should email me between 2 and 4 days prior to the quiz to set up and verify the time
and place. If I do not hear from you at least 2 days prior to the quiz, then I cannot
guarantee that I will be able to provide special accommodations.

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6. How to do well in this course

A. Read the text before lecture. Yes, the lecture and text are very similar. But going
through the same ideas more than once is good. Also, even though the concepts and
explanations are the same, the examples I use in lecture are mostly different from
the examples I use in the text.

B. Attend discussion sections. Bring questions with you if you have any. Ask questions
in the sections. The sections are a great place to make sure you’re on the right track
and to get practice in.

C. Do plenty of exercises. Each chapter has a load of online exercises and solutions.
Start with the easy ones. Make sure you have them down before you move up to
harder ones. A lot of students waste a lot of their time (especially in chapters 3 & 4)
by starting with proofs that are too difficult, and they get frustrated. Start easy
and slow, and work your way up.

D. Have a plan and stay on track. Read the text, attend lectures and discussion
sections, and don’t wait until the day before a quiz or the final to start preparing by
doing exercises. This class is very manageable if you just set a pace and stay on it.

E. As soon as you realize you are having any difficulties, get it addressed. Ask about it
in section, or come to office hours. The earlier you get help the better.

F. Take advantage of the supplementary materials on-line! Practice, practice, practice!