BIRLA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY & SCIENCE, PILANI

Second Semester - 2004-2005

SYMBOLIC LOGIC
PHIL C221
Comprehensive Examination

Room No.5101/5105 Max Marks 40.0

Date: 03.05.2005 Duration 3 Hours

1. Discuss and compare the nature of deductive arguments in the traditional

propositional logic, modern propositional logic, quantification logic, and logic of
relations with the help of examples. (4.0)

2. State the relation of subcontraries in traditional propositional logic. How does this
relation of subcontraries differ from the relation of contradictories? Strengthen your
answer with the help of examples. (4.0)

3. Put each of the following syllogisms into standard form, name its mood and figure,
and test its validity by means of a Venn diagram.
(a) No musicians are mathematicians; all musicians are cricket fans; consequently
no mathematicians are cricket fans.
(b) Some teachers are not idealists; therefore some teachers are not fanatics, since
some fanatics are not idealists. (3.0 × 2 = 6.0)

2. Symbolize the following statements:

Modern Propositional Logic
a) If you have free will then if your actions are not determined by any antecedent
events then your actions cannot be predicted.
b) If either Socrates was happily married or else he wasn’t, then Socrates was a great
philosopher.
Quantification Logic
c) All fruits and vegetables are wholesome and delicious.
d) A professor is a good lecturer if and only if he is both well informed and
entertaining.
Logic of Relations
e) Whoever worships Ram worships Sita.
f) Nothing is pulled by anything. (6.0)

5. Use truth table to determine the validity or invalidity of the following argument form.
(p v q)  (p ∙ q)
~ (p v q)
~ (p ∙ q) (4.0)

1
3. Construct a formal proof of validity (but not CP or IP) for each of the following
arguments, using the suggested abbreviations in each case.
a) A  ~ B
CB
~DvC
(~ A  ~ E) ∙ (~ E  ~ C)
Av~A /~ D
b) (M v ~ ~ R) ∙ Q
[~ P  ~ (Q ∙ R)] ∙ [Q  (M  ~ S)] /~ (S ∙ ~ P) (4.0 × 2 = 8.0)

6. Prove the invalidity of the following argument, using a model containing two
elements a and b.
Some executives are intellectual snobs. Some software engineers are not intellectual
snobs. Therefore, no software engineers are executives. (4.0)

7. Write a brief note on each of the following.

a) Specific Form in Modern Propositional Logic
b) Individuals and Attributes in Quantification Logic (2.0 × 2 = 4.0)