Philosophical Logic

Learning Outcomes

Subject Specific Intellectual and Research Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• Ability to articulate and defend your own views in philosophical logic and relate the issues they concern to issues in other areas of philosophy, such as metaphysics, epistemology and ethics.
• Ability to employ advanced techniques of philosophical logic in formulating and evaluating arguments.

Transferable and Generic Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• Ability to present your reasoning in the relevant areas in a perspicuous and rigorous fashion.
• Ability to identify, analyse and assess arguments in a sophisticated way.

Knowledge and Understanding

Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:

• to be introduced to some central questions of philosophical logic, such as those surrounding the notions of necessity and possibility, time, obligation, and knowledge and belief.
• to learn advanced techniques of philosophical logic, including translating natural language expressions into logical formulae, building counter-models, and constructing proofs.

The syllabus may vary from year to year. Topics covered may include:

1. Modal logic: the logic of necessity and possibility

2. Temporal logic: the logic of time

3. Deontic logic: the logic of what is permissible and obligatory

4. Epistemic logic: the logic of knowledge and belief

5. Models and counter-models

6. Validity proofs

Teaching and learning methods

Teaching methods include:

• Lectures
• In-class discussion
• One to one consultation with the module coordinator

Learning activities include:

• Attending lectures
• Contributing to class discussion
• Preparing for and completing the assessment tasks

Resources & Reading list

Textbooks

John P. Burgess (2009). Philosophical Logic. Princeton University Press.

Formative

This is how we’ll give you feedback as you are learning. It is not a formal test or exam.

Exercises and Quizzes

• Assessment Type: Formative
• Feedback: Oral feedback
• Final Assessment: No
• Group Work: No

Summative

This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.

Referral

This is how we’ll assess you if you don’t meet the criteria to pass this module.

Repeat Information

Repeat type: Internal & External