In this course we will examine the techniques used to distinguish successful from unsuccessful attempts to think logically. We will stress both the uses and abuses of logic. Often the most outlandish statements are said to be "logical," and often indeed they are. But all this means is that they follow necessarily from other outlandish statements! The sense in which logic is like a computer, faithfully processing information fed into it, will be stressed throughout the course. Just as a computer can be used for purely fanciful purposes ("Space Invaders" and the like), so it can be used to show you what follows from true input (such as your financial profile). Logic is similar to the computer in that it deals with the form, not the content, of reasoning. But since reasoning must be in a correct form before anything can be concluded, logic is very important.

If you successfully complete this course, you will be able to:

• understand that logic deals with the form, not the content, of reasoning, and you will be able to distinguish the form of an argument or statement from the content.
• be familiar with such terms as induction, deduction, validity, invalidity, truth, soundness, categorical proposition, categorical syllogism, etc.
• identify several typical informal fallacies in reasoning
• identify the relationships in the traditional Square of Opposition such as contradictories, contraries, subcontraries, and subalternates.
• test categorical syllogisms for validity using Venn Diagrams naming the mood and figure of the syllogism and putting the syllogism in standard form
• test categorical syllogisms for validity using the rules of syllogistic inference.
• understand how contemporary logic makes use of symbolic notation to express statements, statement-variables, and truth-functional connectives, and you will able to express statements and arguments in symbolic notation.

Your course grade will be determined by 4 quizzes and 3 exams, according to the following points:

There are 3 exams in this course. You are expected to take your examinations at one of the NVCC campus Testing Centers. Be sure to allow enough time to complete your exam before the Testing Center closes; Testing Centers have specific policies relating to the administration of ELI exams. You will need to take a photo ID, your NovaConnect empl ID number, and the appropriate Exam Pass when you go to the Testing Center.  

For Testing Center locations, hours of operation and policies, click here.

For information on taking exams outside of the metropolitan area, click here.

I am here to help you succeed in this course. Occasionally questions or problems may arise. Here is how to contact me when they do:

E-mail :dgregory@nvcc.edu
Telephone : (703) 323-3347.
You may contact me through email or visit my webpage to see detailed information.

1. Use your web browser to connect to http://www.nvcc.edu/bbstart. Follow the directions to determine your email, Blackboard and VIVA account user names and passwords.
2. Access your email account and make sure you know how to use it; you will be required to use this account for all course-related email.
3. Log on to Blackboard at http://learn.vccs.edu.
4. Click on this course under "My Courses." Review the entire course to make sure you understand what will be required of you. Then start completing the assignments.

Please note that account generation takes approximately one week from the time of your paid registration. If you cannot log on after one week, contact the IT Help Desk. If you can log on to Blackboard, but your course isn't listed, please contact ELI or your instructor.