ALL1440-C First 6 Weeks Monday 9:00-10:20 Start Date 8-Sep
Grossman 106 Limit 25
This course is a first introduction to logic, motivated by questions such as these: What is a valid argument? What is the connection between logical arguments and truth in the real world? How much can human reasoning be captured by computers? The format of this course will be lecture, guided by class discussion. There are no mathematical prerequisites for this class. That said, we will learn to work with a certain amount of symbolic notation. We will learn how to encode natural language in the form of logical sentences, and how to reason with arguments in this form. Expected outcomes include sharpened critical thinking skills, insights into the difference between logical reasoning and rhetoric, and a framework for thinking about artificial intelligence. Readings will be provided.
Coordinator: Dan Dougherty
Dan has a PhD in Mathematics from the University of Maryland. He taught logic and computer science to undergraduate and graduate students at Dartmouth, Wesleyan, and Worcester Polytechnic Institute and is still active in research. His teaching is inspired by his conviction that mathematical logic is one of the humanities.