Logic

Unit 4
 Unit 4 – Logic

I. About logic
II. Simple propositions

Summary
 A. What is logic?
Logic
• deals with meanings in a language system, most
centrally with propositions (p.142)

• studies the principles of correct reasoning or rules

of inference to make up valid arguments

Valid or invalid argument?

(a) Dogs have legs.
(b) Humans have legs.
(c) Conclusion: Humans are dogs.
Valid or invalid argument? Ch
(a) Dogs have legs. DOGS
(b) A chihuahua is a dog.
(c) Conclusion: A chihuahua has legs.

Valid or invalid argument?

(a) Dogs have legs. H D
(b) Humans have legs.
(c) Conclusion: Humans are dogs.
 Similar grammatical forms > logical fallacy
p.148
 Notes
The concepts of contradiction and analyticity >
fundamental to logic (p.144)
 B. Logical notations
Logical notations
• represent propositions unambiguously (p.146)
• make use of special symbols

Ambiguous: Old men and women are nice.

1. Old men are nice and old women are nice.
(om NICE) & (ow NICE)
2. Old men are nice and women are nice.
 3. John will choose Kim or Hoa and Mai.

4. John will choose Kim or Hoa and Mai.

NOTE 1: EITHER…OR / BOTH… AND, plus proper stress

and intonation, may help clarify the meanings.
3. John will choose
4. John will choose
NOTE 2

simple simple
proposition proposition
 a. Ampersand “and” & (conjunction)
> Tom is French and Betty is American.
t FRENCH &
> Tom and Jack love Betty.

> Mary coughed and sneezed.

 b. Vel “or” V (disjunction)

> Harry is from Japan or from Korea.

> Tom or Jack loves Betty.

c. NOT ~ (negation connective)
> Bill did not die.
~ b DIE
> Carol is not from Japan.
~ c FROM j

> Mary and Joe are not sick.

(~ m SICK) & (~ j SICK)
p.183
REVIEW
- predicator / predicate
- N, V, A, P
> decides how many arguments are necessary
 A. Degrees of a predicate
• 1-place predicate
Jack died. j DIED

Alice is a student. a STUDENT

Kim was sick. k SICK

• 2-place predicate
Bill is afraid of Kim. b AFFRAID k

Mike is a brother of Ed. m BROTHER ed

Carol saw Fred. c SAW f

• 3-place predicate
Sue sent Kate to London. s SENT k L

Mark is between Bill and Kim. m BETWEEN b k

 B. Some basic principles
1. articles, tense markers, preps. after N/ V/ A
=> not affecting the truth of the propositions
> omitted from logical formulae
e.g. Mary introduced Ken to Bob.
John is fond of Ann. j FOND a

Lucy is a sister of Carol.

l SISTER c

2. preps > retained when their absence > ambiguity

e.g. Mary is looking for Liz. m LOOKING-FOR l

Ken was looking after Sue. k LOOKING-AFTER s

Practice (p.153)

a DREAMED

b GULPED

c SWORE

p CURSED

b CYCLES
Practice (p.153)

1 2
Practice (p.154)
Practice (p.155)
3. Simple propositions > ONE Predicator
e.g. Mary was hungry and tired.
John is behind the door or under the bed.

4. Equative sentences > NO predicator, just BE as an

identity predicate
e.g. Elizabeth II was the Queen of the UK.

Donald Trump was the US President.

dt = USp
Practice (p.156)

dj GENTLEMAN

dj = mh
Practice (p.157)
Practice (p.163)
Practice (p.159)
Practice (p.163)
 Practice
Write logical formulae for these situations.
1. Bill 4. John, Mary

2. Pussy 5. Mr Wilson

3. Pussy, 6. Dr Smith,
Millie, Jack
Kitty
SUMMARY

• Logical formula

• Logical fallacy

• Simple proposition