PHIL-131: Introduction to Logic

School
Liberal Arts
Division
Humanities
Department
Philosophy
Academic Level
Undergraduate
Course Subject
Philosophy
Course Number
131
Course Title
Introduction to Logic
Credit Hours
3.00
Instructor Contact Hours Per Semester
47.00 (for 15-week classes)
Student Contact Hours Per Semester
47.00 (for 15-week classes)
Grading Method
A-E
Pre-requisites
Eligible to take ENG courses at HFC.
Catalog Course Description

Examines the methods and principles of assertion and validity in argumentation. Includes the study of the nature of logic and its relationship to language, informal fallacies, and both traditional and modern symbolic methods of deduction.

Goals, Topics, and Objectives

Goal Statement

The goal of this course is to give the student the skills needed to think logically when they speak, listen, read, write and make decisions in life. The students will know how to recognize and avoid illogical thinking.

Core Course Topics
  1. Philosophy
  2. Arguments
  3. Deduction/Induction
  4. Language
  5. Definitions
  6. Categorical Statements
  7. Categorical Syllogisms
  8. Propositional (Symbolic) Logic
  9. Truth Tables
  10. Natural Deductions (Proofs)
  11. Fallacies
Core Course Learning Objectives (Separated)
  1. Define philosophy and its various branches.
  2. Identify arguments and their parts, and distinguish them from non-arguments.
  3. Distinguish between deductive and inductive arguments.
  4. Generate the truth values of categorical statements and the validity/invalidity of immediate inferences using the Square of Opposition and operations such as conversion and obversion.
  5. Translate categorical syllogisms into standard form and employ traditional methods (Venn diagrams, rules of the syllogism) to test for validity.
  6. Translate ordinary language statements and arguments into symbolic form.
  7. Employ truth tables and natural deductions to test/prove the validity/invalidity of deductive arguments.
  8. Demonstrate proficiency in detecting and avoiding a variety of fallacious arguments.
  9. Identify types of inductive arguments and appropriate questions to determine whether they are strong or weak.

Assessment and Requirements

Assessment of Academic Achievement

All assessment of student achievement is left to the discretion of the individual instructor.

Outcomes

General Education Categories
  • Humanities and Fine Arts
MTA Categories
  • Category 5: Humanities and Fine Arts
Satisfies Wellness Requirement
No

Credit for Prior College-Level Learning

Options for Credit for Prior College-Level Learning
Other
Other Details

Determined by department

Effective Term
Winter 2022