BIRLA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY AND SCIENCE, PILANI K.K.

BIRLA GOA
CAMPUS
FIRST SEMESTER 2020-2021
Date:17/08/2020
In addition to part I (General course Handout for all courses appended to the time table) this portion
gives further specific details regarding the course.

Course No.: HSS F236

Course title: Symbolic Logic
Instructor-in-charge: REENA CHERUVALATH

Scope and Objective:

A study of the propositional and quantification logic to understand and use the basic symbolic
procedures to analyze the nature of and assess the status of deductive arguments
 To enhance skills in reasoning logically and analyzing arguments.
 To enhance analytical critical thinking skills.
 To be familiar with Symbolic/Mathematical Logic.
 To equip with elementary logical principles and methods.
 To acquire a firm foundation for further study in Mathematical logic and other disciplines
where logic plays an important role (Mathematics, Computer science, Linguistics, digital
electronics, Biology etc)
Expected Learning Outcome:

By the end of the course you will be able to:

 Examine whether an argument is valid or not.

 Apply formal techniques and systematically codify deductively valid arguments.
 Construct valid arguments.

Text Book: Copi, Irving M., Symbolic Logic, 5th Edition, Pearson Education, 1979 (Indian
Reprint, 2006)
Reference Books:
R1. Carney, J.D, Introduction to Symbolic Logic, Englewood Cliffs, N.J., 1970
R2. Copi, Irving M, Introduction to Logic, Prentice Hall of India, N.D., 11th Edition, 2002
R3. Stan Baronett Madhucchanda Sen Logic, Pearson Education Inc., 2009
Course Plan:
Lecture Learning Objectives Topics to be covered Reference
No. Chap/Sec. (Book)
1 To understand the nature of logical Introduction to Logic R2, Ch. 1
reasoning, types of reasoning
2 Introducing the major vocabulary of Key Concepts R2, Ch. 1
the subject
3 To see how the premisses support the Representing the Structure R2, Ch.1
conclusion. of Arguments
4 Analyzing the relation between truth, Truth, Validity and Text Book, Ch. 1
validity and soundness to understand Soundness

1
 the nature of arguments clearly.
5 To understand the basis of division Categorical Propositions: R2, Ch.3
between categorical propositions in Quantity, Quality and
traditional logic. Distribution
6 To understand the different ways in Traditional Square of R2, Ch.3
which the propositions are related to Opposition: Relations of
each other and the different Opposition
opposition relations

7 To understand Immediate Inference conversion, obversion and R2, Ch.3

contraposition
8 To understand the nature of Categorical Syllogisms: R2, Ch.4
categorical syllogism and the Major, Minor and Middle
relevance of major, minor and middle terms; Validity of
terms. To understand rules and Syllogisms - Rules and
examine fallacies. Fallacies.
9-10 Understanding how to represent and Venn Diagrams R2, Ch. 5
check the validity of arguments by
means of Venn diagrams
11 To analyze the value of symbolic Symbolic Logic: Text Book, Ch. 1
logic and understand its different Introduction
concerns.
12-13 Recognizing the value of sentential Sentential Connectives Text Book, Ch.2
connectives in forming compound Symbolizing Natural
statements out of simple statements Language
and
To see how to symbolically represent
natural language so that the logical
features could be easily located.
14 To understand the nature of the Arguments Containing Text Book, Ch.2
arguments, which are composed of Compound Statements
compound statements, as their
validity depends heavily on the
different ways the compound
statements are related to each other.
15 Analyzing the important role of truth Propositional Calculus: Text Book, Ch.2
functional connectives like Role of truth-functional
conjunction, disjunction, implication connectives
etc. in determining the truth-value of
propositions.
16 To construct truth tables of different Truth-tables Text Book, Ch.2
truth functional connectives.
17-18 How to check the validity of Testing Validity and Text Book, Ch.2
arguments mechanically using truth Invalidity by Truth tables
tables.
19 To identify the formal features of Argument Forms Text Book, Ch.2

2
 arguments so that checking validity
will be easier.
20 To locate the formal nature of Statement Forms Text Book, Ch.2
different type of statement and to
classify them into three groups:
tautologies, contradictories and
contingent.
21 To see how to check whether a Testing the Status of Text Book, Ch.2
statement is a tautology or Statement Forms by Truth-
contradictory or contingent by means tables
of truth tables.
22-23 To check the validity of arguments Formal Proof of Validity: Text Book, Ch. 3
with the help of a set of elementary Rules of Inference
argument forms that can be applied to
check validity mechanically.
24-26 To apply a set of logical equivalences Rules of Replacement Text Book, Ch. 3
in the process of arriving at the
validity of arguments.
27 How to prove certain arguments Proving Invalidity Text Book, Ch. 3
invalid without using truth tables and
not employing the formal proof.
28 Understanding the use of conditional Conditional Proof Text Book, Ch. 3
proof to prove validity of arguments
29 To employ the reductio ad absurdum Indirect Proof Text Book, Ch. 3
method to assess validity of
arguments
30-31 A method, which employs insights Shorter Truth table Text Book, Ch. 3
from truth table technique and Technique
reductio ad absurdum to check
validity and the status of statements.
32-33 Understanding how to symbolize Quantification theory Text Book, Ch. 4
statements that involve existential or Translation with
universal quantifiers. Quantifiers
34 The nature and function of the Universal Quantifier and Text Book, Ch. 4
quantifiers are examined Existential Quantifier
35 A modern square of opposition is Modern Square of Text Book, Ch. 4
constructed using quantifiers Opposition
36 To assess the validity of arguments Quantification Rules Text Book, Ch. 4
that involves propositions with
quantifiers.
37 To prove the validity of arguments by Proving Validity Text Book, Ch. 4
using the quantification rules.
38 Proving the invalidity of certain Proving Invalidity Text Book, Ch. 4
arguments by assigning truth-values.
39 To understand how to symbolize the Symbolizing Relations Text Book, Ch.5
statements which involve relations.

3
 40 To check the attributes of relational Attributes of Binary Text Book, Ch.5
statements. Relations
Evaluation Scheme:
Notices: Notices, if any, concerning the course will be displayed on Moodle.
EC Evaluation Duration Weightage Date, time Nature of
No. Component Component
1 Midterm 1h 30 Minutes 30 CB
2 30 OB
surprise quizzes, group
assignments & class
participation
3 Comprehensive 3 Hours 40 CB
Examination

Makeup Policy: No Make-up components will be allowed.

Chamber consultation Hours: Tuesdays- 4.00-5.00 PM
Instructor-in-charge
HSS F236