Symbolic Logic PHIL&
120
(previously
PHIL& 106, Introduction to Logic)
Bellevue College
(previously
Bellevue Community College)
Bellevue, Washington
Fall
2013; Item #1925; Section A; 5 credits
Mon-Fri
9:30a-10:20a, Room R310
Instructor:
Mark Storey
(425) 564-2118, B200-C, mark.storey@bellevuecollege.edu
Office Hours: Mon-Fri 10:30a-11:15a
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 http://bellevuecollege.edu/canvas/ (aka Canvas).
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&
120A
Course
Schedule
Fall
2013
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 Storey and Herrick’s online text, Symbolic Logic.
Date |
Monday |
Tuesday |
Wednesday |
Thursday |
Friday |
Sep 23-27 |
Intro |
1 |
2 |
|
3-5 |
Sep 30 – Oct 4 |
|
|
6 |
|
|
Oct 7-11 |
7 |
|
8 |
|
|
Oct 14-18 |
|
|
Review |
TEST |
9-10 |
Oct 21-25 |
|
11 |
No Class |
|
12 |
Oct 28 - Nov 1 |
|
|
|
13 |
|
Nov 4-8 |
14 |
15 |
16 |
|
Review |
Nov 11-15 |
Holiday |
TEST |
17 |
|
|
Nov 18-22 |
18 |
|
|
|
19 |
Nov 25-29 |
|
|
20 |
|
Holiday |
Dec 2-6 |
21 |
22 |
|
Review |
TEST |
Dec 9-13 |
9:30 |
x |
x |
x |
x |
Test
dates: Oct. 17, Nov. 12, and Dec. 6
You
may—if you wish—pick up your last test (taken December 6) in our classroom at 9:30
a.m. on Monday, December 9, 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& 120 instruction or test after December
6.