Philosophy 142

“Philosophical logic,” as understood here, includes both (a) the philosophical investigation of the fundamental concepts of logic and (b) the deployment of logical methods in the service of philosophical ends. Topics will include quantification, conditionals, modal logic, logical consequence, intuitionistic logic, relevance logic, the relation of logic and reasoning, and vagueness. Students will be expected to learn technical material and to engage with issues in the philosophy of logic. Assignments will include both problem sets and papers. This course is designed for students who enjoyed Philosophy 12A and want to think more about how logic might be extended beyond standard first-order predicate logic, what might motivate alternative logics, and how debates about basic logical rules might be conducted.

Prerequisites: Philosophy 12A or equivalent, and at least one other course in philosophy. The course covers some technical material, but knowledge of logic beyond 12A will not be assumed.

Books: We will use a new textbook by Professor MacFarlane (which will be made available in manuscript) and a course reader.