Overview

Logic is the key to philosophy, mathematics, and science. This course offers an engaging journey into the world of logic from an award-winning professor of philosophy. “An Introduction to Formal Logic” helps you develop intellectual self-defense techniques against flawed arguments, equipping you to recognize fallacies and construct valid reasoning. Across 24 lectures, explore the fascinating realm of formal logic, the counterpart to calculus in philosophy.

Course Instructor

Professor Steven Gimbel of Gettysburg College guides you through the intricate landscape of formal logic, using clear explanations and real-world examples to make abstract concepts comprehensible.

Video Lessons

1. Why Study Logic?
   • Duration: 26 min
   • Description: Discover how logic serves as a corrective to cognitive biases and flawed thinking.

• Introduction to Logical Concepts
  • Duration: 30 min
  • Description: Identify logical arguments and differentiate between deductive and inductive reasoning.

• Informal Logic and Fallacies
  • Duration: 30 min
  • Description: Explore common logical fallacies, including circular reasoning and equivocation.

4. Fallacies of Faulty Authority
   • Duration: 33 min
   • Description: Examine additional reasoning errors in informal logic, such as appeal to authority.

• Fallacies of Cause and Effect
  • Duration: 28 min
  • Description: Analyze fallacies that arise in causal reasoning, like post hoc reasoning.

6. Fallacies of Irrelevance
   • Duration: 28 min
   • Description: Identify diversionary fallacies such as ad hominem attacks and red herrings.

7. Inductive Reasoning
   • Duration: 31 min
   • Description: Focus on validity in inductive arguments and common fallacies to avoid.

8. Induction in Polls and Science
   • Duration: 32 min
   • Description: Understand the role of induction in polling and scientific reasoning.

9. Introduction to Formal Logic
   • Duration: 29 min
   • Description: Examine validity in deductive arguments, a foundation established by Aristotle.

10. Truth-Functional Logic
    • Duration: 31 min
    • Description: Explore truth-functional logic and the behavior of logical connectives.

11. Truth Tables
    • Duration: 28 min
    • Description: Deepen your skills using truth tables to evaluate arguments.

12. Truth Tables and Validity
    • Duration: 26 min
    • Description: Test the validity of famous arguments using truth tables.

13. Natural Deduction
    • Duration: 34 min
    • Description: Learn to use natural deduction proofs for validating arguments.

14. Logical Proofs with Equivalences
    • Duration: 33 min
    • Description: Explore equivalences in logical proofs, enhancing your deduction skills.

15. Conditional and Indirect Proofs
    • Duration: 35 min
    • Description: Introduce new justified assumption techniques in natural deduction.

16. First-Order Predicate Logic
    • Duration: 29 min
    • Description: Analyze sentences using first-order predicate logic to map logical structures.

• Validity in First-Order Predicate Logic
  • Duration: 35 min
  • Description: Use natural deduction to prove validity in first-order arguments.

18. Demonstrating Invalidity
    • Duration: 31 min
    • Description: Learn techniques to demonstrate invalidity in first-order logic.

• Relational Logic
  • Duration: 31 min
  • Description: Investigate the application of relational logic in formal reasoning.

20. Introducing Logical Identity
    • Duration: 33 min
    • Description: Validate identity using equivalence relations and their criteria.

21. Logic and Mathematics
    • Duration: 34 min
    • Description: Explore the historical relationship between logic and mathematical disciplines.

• Proof and Paradox
  • Duration: 33 min
  • Description: Delve into the challenges of proving logical consistency in mathematics.

• Modal Logic
  • Duration: 32 min
  • Description: Study modal concepts of possibility and necessity in logical reasoning.

24. Three-Valued and Fuzzy Logic
    • Duration: 29 min
    • Description: Examine alternative logics that challenge classical binary principles.