Macalester Moodle

Symbolic logic is the formal study of reasoning, inference, and proof. This course will focus on deductive logic, including the formal analysis of statements and arguments, sentential and quantified logics, formal semantics, and logical proofs. We will also explore some philosophical questions about logic (e.g., is there only one correct system of logic?) as well as philosophical issues arising within our study of logic.

During this course, you will:

1. master concepts and technical vocabulary that will enable you to think clearly about arguments;
2. become proficient at translating sentences from English into formal languages;
3. master basic techniques for testing arguments for validity;
4. develop your pattern recognition skills, which will permit you to tell good arguments and reasoning patterns from bad ones; and
5. explore philosophical questions about logic as well as other philosophical issues arising within our study of logic.