High School Logic 1: Introduction to Logic
Logic is a tool indispensable not just to philosophers and mathematicians but to all who seek to reason well and argue cogently in any field. To master the basics of logical reasoning is to become a more precise thinker — to learn how to critique others’ attempts at persuasion, identify and avoid common fallacies, and construct a proper argument of one’s own. With this as our goal, we will approach the study of logic historically, beginning with the Socratic method and progressing through Aristotelian syllogistic logic, Stoic propositional logic, 19th century contributions to categorical logic and invention of formal languages, and modern truth-functional logic. In the second semester we will study modern predicate logic and look briefly at modal logic.
The spring semester's topics build on those of the fall, so the spring semester cannot be taken by itself.
To high school students taking this course for dual enrollment credit, the University of St. Katherine will issue a transcript with 3 college credits per semester. USK credits are transferable to other colleges and universities.
"'Mouse' is a syllable. Now a mouse eats cheese; therefore, a syllable eats cheese."
Seneca, Moral Epistles