The goal of WSM is to introduce graduate students and advanced undergraduates to some of the basic formal methods used by philosophers. We cover such topics as set theory, modal logic and probability theory. While all students are expected to be familiar with predicate logic, I expect a considerable diversity in background and mathematical maturity. The goal of the course is to equip students with the ability to be able to read and engage with papers in the contemporary literature that rely on formal arguments and methods.
Daniel Rothschild is the module leader and Tom Williams is the PGTA.
Term 1, Thursdays 10am-12pm, Gordon Square 102.
All our welcome as auditors and should feel free to come to any sessions (and may pick and choose according to interest).
There will be weekly problem sets (9 in total), on which collaboration is encouraged. For undergraduates there is a final exam (Problem sets are worth 60% and exam is worth 40%.) Graduate students are not graded by exam but are required to answer more, and more difficult, problems.
Readings will be provided on moodle with the exception of the one textbook, Sider, Logic for Philosophy
John Burgess’s book Philosophical Logic, covers some of the topics covered in the course.
Set Theory
Week 1 - Lecture notes
For readings see Moodle, or email me for dropbox link.
Problem set 1
Week 2 - Lecture notes
Reading: Sider, Propositional Logic
Problem set 2
Propositional logic (and non-clasiscal logic)
Week 3 - Lecture notes
Problem set 3
Axiomatic proof notes
Non-classical logic and more logic
Week 4 - Lecture notes
Problem set 4
Modal Logic
Week 5 - Lecture notes
No problem set! (please look over Sider)
Week 6 - Lecture notes
Problem set 5 (Due Nov 21)
Epistemic logic and probability theory
Week 7 - Lecture notes
Problem set 6
Probability theory
Week 8 - Lecture notes
Problem set 7 (note this is not due till Saturday)
Probability theory and some information theory
Week 9 - Lecture notes
Problem set 8
Information Theory
Week 10 - lecture notes
Problem set 9 last one, thank god.
Extra readings:
Simon Dedeo, Intelligence Person’s Guide to Information Theory
James Stone, Information theory: a tutorial introduction
Image: Skylight, Jaroslav Rössler, 1923. © Sylva Vítová-Rösslerová