PHIL012 - Symbolic Logic Syllabus

logic
syllabus
propositional logic
predicate logic
Author

David W. Agler

Published

August 23, 2026

This syllabus provides course information (Part 1), course and university policies (Part 2), and a calendar of events (Part 3).

Part 1. Course Information

  • Location: Thomas Bldg 101
  • Days & Times: MWF 1115AM-1205PM
  • Website: https://www.davidagler.com
  • Office Location: 242 Sparks Building
  • Office House: By appointment and Wednesday 1220-120.
Instructors and LA Contact Information
Name Role Contact Information
David W. Agler Instructor dwa132 AT psu DOT edu
Lily Davis Learning Assistant
Claire Lee Learning Assistant
John Wallace Learning Assistant
Miriam Westfort Learning Assistant

Course Description

This is an introductory course in symbolic logic. Logic is a science that aims to identify good and bad arguments. Symbolic logic is a particular branch of logic that uses formal languages and methods to analyze arguments, propositions, and systems of reasoning. This course will introduce two different formal languages: propositional logic and predicate logic. In both languages, we will examine how these languages relate to English (a natural language), different ways in which formal languages can be used to determine whether arguments are valid (or invalid), and how to reason using these languages.

Course Objectives

  • Objective 1, Learn Two Symbolic Languages: Students will learn the symbols, syntax, and semantics of two different symbolic languages (propositional & predicate logic) and how these languages relate to English (chs. 1, 2, 6).
  • Objective 2, Learn Key Analytical Skills & Vocabulary: Students will learn how to use the symbolic languages to determine fundamental features of language and how to talk about these features using analytical vocabulary (chs. 1, 3, 4).
  • Objective 3, Learn How to Formally Test Arguments: Students will learn how to use various mechanical tests (known as “decision procedures”) to (i) test propositions, sets of propositions, and arguments for various properties and to (ii) develop countermodels for invalid arguments (chs. 3, 4, 6).
  • Objective 4, Learn How to Construct Proofs: Students will learn how to formally construct proofs in two different languages. That is, they will learn a set of inference, derivation, or “proof” rules and use these rules to show that a conclusion follows from a set of premises (chs. 5, 8).
  • Objective 5, Identify Key Features of English: Students will learn aspects of the English language by examining features of the formal languages, e.g., scope, truth-functionality, quantifier ambiguity, the ambiguity of “or”, truth conditions of various sentences (chs.2,6).
  • Objective 6, Respectful Dialogue: Students will engage in respectful conversation with classmates as well as collaborate with their peers to better learn logic.

Course Materials

  1. Agler, David W. Fall 2026. Symbolic Logic: Syntax, Semantics, and Proof Handouts. The cost of this book is covered by the course fee. This book is available in three formats: (1) a paperback copy, (2) a PDF, and (3) an accessible HTML. Students will receive access to the PDF and HTML versions of the text through Canvas.
  2. David Agler’s Logic Homepage. This page includes logic handouts, practice exams, and links to specific videos.
  3. Introduction to Logic - 2022. This supplemental video covers major topics in symbolic logic. Use this video to review and catch up on topics if you miss class.

Course Assignments

Evaluation for this course is determined as follows (assignments within each category are weighted equally):

Course Assignment, Numbers, and Percentages
Assignment Number Percentage
Attendance N 4
Homework 4 18
Quizzes 4 4
Exams 4 74
Extra-Credit N +10

Attendance

Attendance is positively correlated with passing this course. By attending class, you have the opportunity to learn the material, but also (1) get access to the almost-daily extra-credit assignments and (2) reduce your workload with respect to homework as some of the homework exercises are completed in class.

Attendance is taken via a QR code displayed at the beginning of class. The QR code is linked to a Microsoft Form and so will require you to be logged into your Penn State account. If you are unable to take attendance using the QR code, please see me after class to sign in.

  • Excused Absence: To be excused from class, you must (1) email me prior to the start of class and (2) provide either (a) official documentation that specifically confirms you are unable to attend that particular class session or (b) a university excused class absence form. If it is physically impossible for you to email me before class begins (e.g., coma, incarceration), you must notify your college, campus contact, or Student Care & Advocacy as soon as is reasonable.
  • Late Policy: If you are five or more minutes late, you will receive 80% of the attendance credit for that meeting. If you arrive fifteen or more minutes late, you will not receive attendance credit for that meeting.
  • Sending QR Code: Please note that sending the QR code to someone not attending class is considered a violation of Academic Integrity.
  • An approved excused absence will not reduce your attendance grade.

Homework

Homework consists of the exercises listed in the Calendar section. Full credit will be awarded provided you complete (but not necessarily correctly solve) each problem (this involves showing any relevant work). Homework is graded out of 10 points.

Deductions:

  • 1pt is deducted for each Exercise Set that is missing beyond the first missing set.
  • 1pt is deducted if papers are not stapled or clipped.
  • 3pts are deducted if exercise sets are not clearly labeled, e.g., Ex 3.35.

Quizzes

Quizzes are in Canvas. Quizzes are open-book and open-note. Quizzes consist mainly of multiple-choice and true/false questions. These are low-stakes assignments designed to prepare you for the exam.

Exams

Exams test your mastery of the course material.

The first exam for this course will take place via Canvas in the Pollock Testing Center. This exam is multi-select, multiple-choice, true-false, and some minimal fill-in-the-blank. Some notes on the Pollock Testing Center:

  • The Pollock Testing Center will send you an email for scheduling your exam one week prior to the exam. They will email you every day until you register for a time to take the exam.
  • They will give you information about how to take the exam. You should read and reread the instructions on scheduling and arrival very carefully.
  • To take an exam at Pollock, you need (1) your student ID and (2) your Penn State login credentials (e.g., ).
  • Arrive early! If you are even one minute late, you will not be able to take the exam and your exam will be considered “late”.

The remaining exams will take place in the classroom. The format of these exams will vary based on the exam content. Some notes on these exams:

  • See Logic - Practice Exams for sample questions and / or practice exams.
  • There will be an optional, “exam review day” to help you prepare for the exam.
  • Exams are divided into two parts: Part 1 is scantron (please bring a No. 2 pencil and your PSU ID), Part 2 is on a blank piece of paper that will be provided for you.

Extra Credit

There is a significant amount of extra credit available in this course. Extra credit is divided into three different types.

The first type consists of practice quizzes via Canvas. Practice quizzes are designed to help you develop automaticity with basic logical skills and thereby make understanding more complex logical skills easier.

The second type consists of an assortment of activities: logic puzzles, advanced topics, and applications of logic.

The third type takes the form of in-class activities, e.g., worksheets or activities you complete in groups. They allow you to learn from your classmates and the course Learning Assistants (LAs).

The most important policies surrounding extra credit are as follows:

  1. Since extra credit is supplemental, there is no late (or excused) work.
  2. All extra-credit assignments are assigned in class and you must submit them during class (unless they are on Canvas) to receive credit.
  3. All grading for extra-credit assignments is not subject to review.

Part 2. Policies

Email Correspondence

Email me with questions you have! However, keep in mind best email practices when emailing. When emailing, include specifics, e.g., your name, the class you are in, the problem and page number of the problem, etc. I generally respond to course-related email within two business days.

Classroom Recording

No recording of classroom lectures is permitted without either (1) express written permission of the instructor or (2) as permitted by Student Disability Resources (SDR). See Academic Integrity, AD40 - Private Policy, AD53 - Expectation of Privacy, Title 18 - Invasion of privacy

Late Policy

To be excused from an exam, quiz, or homework assignment, you must (1) email me prior to the relevant assignment deadline and (2) provide (a) official documentation that specifically confirms you are unable to attend that particular class session, or (b) a university excused class absence form, or (c) be able to provide some other form of reasonable documentation that confirms your inability to attend class. If it is physically impossible for you to email me before class begins (e.g., coma, incarceration), you should contact your college, campus contact, or Student Care & Advocacy as soon as is reasonable.

See Attendance for the late policy relating to attendance.

Grading Scale, Rounding, Curving

  • A: 93-100
  • A-: 90-92
  • B+: 87-89
  • B: 83-86
  • B-: 80-82
  • C+: 77-79
  • C: 70-76
  • D: 60-69
  • F: 0-59

Grades are rounded to the nearest whole percentage point. A fractional part of 0.50 or greater rounds up; a fractional part below 0.50 rounds down. Rounding occurs after the calcuation of the regular course grade, any curve, and extra credit. See University Policy 47-00. Individual assignments are not curved. However, in the case that the mean final grade for eligible students is below 75%, a curve will be instated so that the mean course average is 75%.1

University Policies

Penn State University has several university policies concerning disability, academic misconduct, counseling and psychological services, and diversity, equity, and inclusion. Below you will find links to these statements and further resources. An electronic version of this syllabus is available in Canvas.

  1. Disability Statement
  2. Academic Integrity
  3. Counseling & Psychological Services
  4. Report Bias
  5. Equity at Penn State
  6. Policies & Rules for Undergraduate Instruction and Curriculum
  7. Penn State Red Folder

Part 3. Calendar

This calendar is divided into four Units. Due dates are available in Canvas.

Unit 1 – Introduction to Propositional Logic

Lesson 1 – Introduction to Logic

  • Reading: Ch. 1

Lesson 2 – The Language of Propositional Logic

  • Reading: Ch. 2
  • Homework: Exercises 1.1-1.8, 2.9-2.26 (skip Exercise 2.27).
  • Quiz 1
  • Exam 1 (Pollock Testing Center): 9/29 or 9/30

Unit 2 – PL Tables and Trees

Lesson 3 – Truth Tables for Propositional Logic

  • Reading: Ch. 3
  • Quiz 2

Lesson 4 – Truth Trees for Propositional Logic

  • Reading: Ch. 4
  • Homework: Exercises 3.28-3.36 (skip 3.37-3.39)
  • Homework: Exercises 4.40-4.48
  • Exam 2 (In the Classroom)

Unit 3 – PL Derivations

Lesson 5 – Proofs for Propositional Logic

  • Reading: Ch. 5
  • Homework: Exercises 5.49-5.60 (skip 5.61-5.64)
  • Quiz 3
  • Exam 3 (In the Classroom)

Unit 4 – Predicate Logic Language and Derivations

Lesson 6 – The Language of Predicate Logic

  • Reading: Ch. 6
  • Homework: Exercises: 6.65-6.79
  • Quiz 4

Lesson 7 – The Language of Predicate Logic

Skipped

Lesson 8 – Proofs for Predicate Logic

  • Reading Ch. 8
  • Exercises: 8.80-8.84 (For 8.84, only 1-5)
  • Exam 4 (In the Classroom)

Notes

  1. Due dates for assignments are posted in Canvas, sent electronically through Canvas via Announcements, and announced in class.
  2. Portions of this syllabus are subject to revision. Any significant changes will be announced in class.
  3. This syllabus is available as an accessible HTML file in Canvas and the following formats upon request: .md, .odt, .docx, .rtf, .tex

How to do well in this course

  1. Attend class.
  2. If you miss class, read the textbook and watch the corresponding video(s).
  3. Bring your book to class.
  4. In class, we complete exercises from the textbook. These exercises are part of your homework. Do these exercises while you are in class. Be active! Do not just sit and watch.
  5. After you complete an exercise in class, turn to a classmate and ask to see their answer. Comparing answers will help you (1) confirm your understanding and (2) help you remember how to complete similar exercises in the future.
  6. If you don’t understand something, raise your hand during class or ask after class.
  7. Attend class to obtain the extra-credit assignment and complete that assignment.
  8. Attend in-class extra-credit events.
  9. Attend practice exam reviews.
  10. If you don’t understand something, don’t wait! Instead: (1) read the textbook, then (2) watch the video(s), and (3) if you still don’t understand, email me!

Student Testimonials (from emails and SEEQs)

  1. Do the extra credit: “Go to class, do the extra credit, and participate. If you do those three things, you are GUARANTEED an A. Everyone should take this class with Dr.David Agler he is the best. I recommended this to all my friends who want to go to law school or are PLSC majors.”
  2. Don’t slack at the beginning and do the extra credit: “I would very much recommend students treat this as a math class rather than a philosophy class. It ends up turning into a class similar to math and I didn’t understand this at first and slacked off a bit in the beginning. I would also recommend that they complete as much extra credit as he will give because it will significantly help their grade.”
  3. Do the homework in class: “I found that during class, when we would do some of the homework questions together allowed for the opportunity to get a sneak peak into the homework and made it easier when working on it at a later date.”
  4. Do the extra credit: “The extra credit not only helped boost my grade when there were things on the exam that I didn’t understand, but I also thought the extra credit did a wonderful job going over everything we learned in class each day, and the fact that we could do it multiple times until we got as much of it right as we wanted to was very helpful in terms of actually understanding the content.”
  5. Reach out for help!: “There were a couple of times throughout the semester when I spoke to Professor Agler about issues with grades or questions about quiz problems and he was extremely helpful, kind, and understanding. Through email and in person, you can see his willingness to help his students and I never felt uncomfortable reaching out to him.”

Footnotes

  1. After all required course assignments have been graded, the instructor will calculate each student’s course percentage (excluding students who (1) have a grade below a 75% and (2) did not complete the last exam). If the mean course percentage is below 75%, the difference between 75% and that percentage will be added to each student’s course percentage.↩︎