Logic

Logical reasoning is essential in most areas of human inquiry. The discipline of Logic treats logical reasoning itself as an object of study. Logic has been one of the main branches of philosophy since Aristotle; it revolutionized the foundations of mathematics in the 20th century; and it has been called “the calculus of computer science,” with applications in many areas. Logic has also played an important role in the investigation of language and the mind, as the basis for formal semantics in linguistics and automated reasoning in artificial intelligence. With these interdisciplinary connections, Logic serves as a bridge between the humanities and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) fields. Studying logic enhances students’ abilities to reason and argue rigorously, to read and write analytically, to discern patterns amidst complexity, and to understand abstract structures. The Logic Minor (offered through the Philosophy Department) consists of three core courses in symbolic logic, which may be pursued in parallel tracks within Philosophy or Mathematics, plus a choice of three upper division electives from an array of courses in Philosophy, Mathematics, Linguistics, and Computer Science.

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