Introduction to Logic - PHIL& 120 (previously PHIL& 106)

Bellevue College - Bellevue, Washington

Fall 2012; Item #1928; Section C; 5 credits

Mon-Fri 11:30a-12:20p, Room C168

Instructor: Mark Storey

(425) 564-2118, B200-C, mark.storey@bellevuecollege.edu

Office Hours: Mon-Fri 9:30a-10:15a

Course Description:

The good news: this is not a math class.

The bad news: much of it is just like a math class.

In this course you will be responsible for learning (1) the nature and structure of arguments, (2) how to translate deductive arguments found in English into the language of propositional and predicate logic, and (3) how to assess the validity of arguments presented in formal logic using truth tables and natural deduction. Most students who have taken this course (and have since been released from psychiatric care) claim that it “is hard,” “requires a lot of time and effort,” or simply “is a pain in the neck.” For the most part they are right. Some of you are going to have no problem at all with this course; you will view each practice and test problem as a fun puzzle to work out. The instructor wishes that he could have had your attitude when he was in your shoes. Most of you, however, will want to throw your text materials across the room at some point when doing problems at home. To you the instructor says, “Hang in there”; he will do what he can to get you through this labor of logic. Remember, though, the responsibility is on your shoulders to learn the material. To succeed at this course all students should steel themselves to do at least two things: (1) attend all classes—if you fall behind even one day, the remainder of the course will probably be a mysterious blur that can only be compared to a mystical experience with Nothingness—and (2) every day do many of the practice problems (with answers!) pertaining to the material covered that day in class. Do the problems even if the material seemed straightforward in class. The instructor has a knack of making the impenetrable appear pellucid (he also has a taste for alliteration), so you need to make sure that you can do the problems on your own. Daily practice is the only way that you will absorb all of the intricate techniques presented in this course. Relax, enjoy the challenge, and good luck.

Reasons to Take This Course:

* It provides the skills needed to analyze the strength of deductive arguments and is thus vital to advanced work in philosophy.

* It provides a basis for further study in computer programming and in computer languages.

* It serves as preparation for pre-law students.

* It fulfills a Quantitative/Symbolic Skills or non-lab Science requirement at BC.

Course Text:

There is no required printed course text. For this section of PHIL& 120, students have free access to new online materials produced by the instructor and Paul Herrick. Materials are found on our class page at MyBCC.net (aka MyBC).

Course Requirements:

* 3 in-class tests: 1/3 of course grade each

* Appropriate behavior in class (e.g., no walking out early, no cell phones, no disruptive chatting, no cheating during tests)

* Read www.bellevuecollege.edu/ArtsHum/policy.html

Grading Policy:

Late tests will be penalized as follows. Tests taken late, but on the day they are given, will have their grades reduced by 0.2 GPA points. Tests taken one day late will be penalized 0.5 GPA points. Tests taken more than one day late will be penalized an additional 0.3 GPA points for each additional day late—weekends and holidays included. (For example, if a test is taken two days late, it will be penalized 0.8 GPA points.) No late tests will be given after graded tests are returned to the class, which is often in one or two days. The last test may not be taken late. Do not expect that your excuse will enable you to avoid this policy. If you are sick, come to class anyway and take the test; if your car breaks down, take a taxi to school. There is no extra credit, so take the tests seriously.

The instructor does not give “Incompletes” or “Hardship Withdrawals” unless clear documentation of serious concerns (as determined by the instructor) can be provided at the time of the serious concerns (i.e., not weeks afterwards) and the student is at the time of the request passing the course with a C- or better; nor does he give Is or HWs merely to salvage students’ GPAs or to help them fraudulently maintain financial aid.

Again, DO NOT EXPECT A HARDSHIP WITHDRAWL SIMPLY TO MAINTAIN YOUR GPA OR FINANCIAL AID STATUS. Philosophy 106 is designed so that all students may do well, but if for some reason (and there are many good reasons in our busy lives) you stop coming to class, then you should quickly go to the Registration Office and officially withdraw from the class before BC’s deadline, otherwise you will receive a course grade based on the course work you did and did not complete. This often results in a failing grade (i.e., an F). It is your responsibility to find out the last day in which you may initiate a withdrawal from the class. All that said, the vast majority of the students who take this course, attend class regularly, take good lecture notes, and study daily end up doing fine.

Students with disabilities who have accommodation needs are required to meet with the Director of the Disability Resource Center (room B132-G; 425-564-2498 or TTY 425-564-4110) to establish their eligibility for accommodation. The DRC office will provide each eligible student with an accommodation letter. Students who require accommodation in class should review the DRC accommodation letter with the instructor.

Student conduct: Cheating, stealing, and plagiarizing (using the ideas or words of another as one’s own without crediting the source) and inappropriate/disruptive classroom behavior are violations of the Student Code of Conduct at Bellevue College. Examples of unacceptable behavior include, but are not limited to: talking out of turn, arriving late or leaving early without a valid reason, allowing cell phones/pagers to ring, and inappropriate behavior toward the instructor or classmates. The instructor can refer any violation of the Student Code of Conduct to the Dean of Student Services for possible probation or suspension from Bellevue College. Specific student rights, responsibilities, and appeal procedures are listed in the Student Code of Conduct, available in the office of the Dean of Student Services.

For information on BC’s Philosophy Tutorial Program for logic students, and other Philosophy courses, visit the Philosophy Department’s website at www.bellevuecollege.edu/philosophy.

PHIL& 120C

Course Schedule

Fall 2012

This schedule tells roughly what topics we’ll be covering each day. It is not necessary to read the material before coming to class; it may be best to hear the instructor’s presentation first, and then go home and read the online material and do the associated practice problems as part of your regular study routine. If there are any changes to the schedule, you will be told about them in class. You are responsible for being in class on time to hear of any changes. Numbers below refer to chapters in the online text.

Date	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
Sep 17-21		Intro	1	2
Sep 24-28	3-5			6
Oct 1-5		7		8
Oct 8-12		No class			Review
Oct 15-19	TEST	9-10		11
Oct 22-26	12				No class
Oct 29 – Nov 2	13		14	15	16
Nov 5-9	Review	TEST	17
Nov 12-16	Holiday	18
Nov 19-23	19			Holiday	Holiday
Nov 26-30	20		21	22
Dec 3-7	Review	TEST	x	x	Test returned

Test dates: October 15, November 6, and December 4

You may—if you wish—pick up your last test (taken December 4) in our classroom at 11:30 a.m. on Friday, December 7, or you may leave the instructor a SASE to have your test mailed to you, or you may pick your test up at his office (B200-C) the following quarter. There is no PHIL& 106 instruction or test on December 5-7.