Loyola University Chicago

Department of Philosophy

PHIL 274: Logic

PHIL 274: Logic

The Generic Catalog Description

A detailed study of the rules of valid judging and reasoning, both deductive and inductive and from both the traditional and symbolic point of view. Central to the course is logical analysis, in particular a study of the consistency and logical consequences of a given set of statements. The issues of evidence, truth, and explanation will be discussed, and some time will be spent on applying logical analysis to concrete problems concerning our knowledge of reality.


PHIL 274: Logic

Blake Dutton

This core course is a detailed study of the rules of valid reasoning, both from both the traditional and symbolic point of view. Key aspects of the course are the logical analysis of ordinary language and the deductive consequences from given premises. We will study the laws of logic and apply them to concrete problems of argumentation. We will also study the many types of common errors in reasoning, known as logical fallacies, but the emphasis will be on symbolic logic and topics such as: the nature and structure of arguments; truth, validity and soundness; syllogistic arguments and their evaluation; Venn diagrams; truth-functional connectives; truth tables; inference rules; translation into logical form; and natural deduction.

Students will have problem sets assigned to them nearly every class. At the end of the course they will be able to demonstrate a complete, symbolic formal system utilizing a comprehensive and entirely symbolic language and containing a complete set of formal laws of logic.

Typical text:
Patrick Hurley, A Concise Introduction to Logic


PHIL 274: Logic

Arnold vander Nat

This introductory course in logic is a detailed study of the methods and principles of correct reasoning, and focuses on the deductive techniques from both traditional logic and modern logic. Central to this study is first, a precise analysis of the logical structure that sentences have, and second, the logical consequences that sentences have because of their logical structure. The laws of logic themselves are extensively studied, and they are rigorously applied in the solution of concrete problems of argumentation. This course may also study the types of common errors in reasoning, known as logical fallacies. An important outcome in this course is the improvement of one's critical thinking abilities.