Course Description: Traditional Logic
Course Syllabus:
| Date | Lesson | Exercises
/Readings |
In Class | Concepts Covered |
| 09/06/01 | Traditional Logic, Book I, Martin Cothran: "Introduction" | All exercises | Overview of Introduction
Exercises for Days 1 & 2 |
Overview of Traditional Logic |
| Theologia Deum docet, a Deo docetur, ad Deum ducit | Fundamentals of the Faith, Peter Kreeft: "Introduction" | Mark & Outline | Discussion of the 3-Part View of Apologetics | Definition (formal and material cause) and Classification of Apologetics |
| Handbook of Christian Apologetics, Peter Kreeft: "Chapter 1: The Nature, Power and Limitations of Apologetics" | Mark
Prepare to discuss questions in class |
Discussion of the relation of faith and reason | Definition and Classification of Apologetics; Relation of faith to reason; Logic | |
| Fallacy of the Week | Find example to discuss in class | Discussion of Fallacy examples | Appeal to Force: Argumentum ad Baculum | |
| 09/13/01 | Traditional Logic, Book I, Cothran: Chapter 1 | All exercises | Overview of Chapter 1
Exercises for Days 1 & 2 |
Simple Apprehension
1. Sense impression 2. Mental Image 3. Concept |
| Fundamentals of the Faith, Kreeft: Chapter 1 | Mark & Outline | Discussion of relation of faith and reason | Purpose and requirements (efficient and final causes) of apologetics | |
| "The Distinction Between Faith and Reason," Mortimer Adler | Outline | See above | ||
| Fallacy of the Week | Find example to discuss in class | Discussion of Fallacy examples | Appeal to Pity: Argumentum ad Misericordiam | |
| 09/20/01 | Traditional Logic, Book I, Cothran: Chapter 2 | All exercises | Overview
of Chapter 2
Exercises for Days 1 & 2 |
Comprehension and Extension |
| Handbook of Christian Apologetics, Peter Kreeft: Chapter 3 | Mark & briefly summarize 1st ten arguments | Discuss: "Can you prove the existence of God?" | ||
| Fallacy of the Week | Find example to discuss in class | Discussion of Fallacy examples | Appeal to Authority: Argumentum ad Verecundiam | |
| 09/27/01 | Traditional Logic, Book I, Cothran: Chapter 3 | All exercises | Overview of Chapter 3
Exercises for Days 1 & 2 |
Signification and Supposition |
| Handbook of Christian Apologetics, Peter Kreeft: Chapter 3 | Mark & briefly summarize last ten arguments | Discuss: "Can you prove the existence of God?" | ||
| Fallacy of the Week | Find example to discuss in class | Discussion of Fallacy examples | Personal Attack: ad Hominum | |
| 10/04/01 | Traditional Logic, Book I, Cothran: Chapter 4 | All exercises | Overview
of Chapter 4
Exercises for Days 1 & 2 |
What is Judgment? |
| Fundamentals of the Faith, Kreeft: Chapter 2 | Mark & Outline | Discussion of the Argument from Design | Argument from Design | |
| Handbook of Christian Apologetics, Peter Kreeft: Chapter 3 | Review Argument #5 from Ch. 3; identify all statements in argument | |||
| Fallacy of the Week | Find example to discuss in class | Discussion of Fallacy examples | Argument from Ignorance: Argumentum ad Ignorantiam | |
| 10/11/01 | Traditional Logic, Book I, Cothran: Chapter 5 | All exercises | Overview of Chapter 5
Exercises for Days 1 & 2 |
The Four Statements of Logic |
| Fundamentals of the Faith, Kreeft: Chapter 3 | Mark & Outline | Discussion of the Argument from First Cause | Argument from First Cause | |
| Handbook of Christian Apologetics, Peter Kreeft: Chapter 3 | Review Argument #6 from Ch. 3; identify all statements (by letter) in arguments 5 &6; | |||
| Fallacy of the Week | Find example to discuss in class | Discussion of Fallacy examples | Appeal to the People: Argumentum ad Populum | |
| 10/18/01 | Traditional Logic, Book I, Cothran: Chapters 6-7 | All exercises | Overview
of Chapters 6-7
Exercises for Days 1 & 2 |
Contradictory, Contrary, Subcontrary, and Subalternate Statements |
| Fundamentals of the Faith, Kreeft: Chapter 4 | Mark & Outline | Discussion of the Argument from Conscience | Argument from Conscience | |
| Handbook of Christian Apologetics, Peter Kreeft: Chapter 3 | Review Argument #15 from Ch. 3; identify all statements (by letter) in argument 15; derive contradictory, contrary, subcontrary and subalternate statements from each statement in arguments 5, 6 and 15 | |||
| Fallacy of the Week | Find example to discuss in class | Discussion of Fallacy examples | Fallacy of Verbosity | |
| 10/25/01 | Traditional Logic, Book I, Cothran: Chapter 8 | All exercises | Overview
of Chapter 8
Exercises for Days 1 & 2 |
Distribution of Terms |
| Fundamentals of the Faith, Kreeft: Chapter 9 | Mark & Outline | Discussion of the Argument from Miracles | Argument from Miracles | |
| Handbook of Christian Apologetics, Peter Kreeft: Chapter 3 | Review Argument #9 from
Ch. 3; identify all statements (by letter) and derive contradictory, contrary,
subcontrary and subalternate statements from each statement in argument
9; Draw Euler's Diagram of all statements in argument #9
Also ch. 5, pp. 109-114 |
|||
| Fallacy of the Week | Find example to discuss in class | Discussion of Fallacy examples | Fallacy of Pettifoggery | |
| 11/01/01 | Traditional Logic, Book I, Cothran: Chapter 9 | All exercises | Overview
of Chapter 9
Exercises for Days 1 & 2 |
Conversion, Obversion and Contraposition of Statements |
| Handbook of Christian Apologetics, Peter Kreeft: Chapter 4 | Mark Chapter 4; convert, obvert and contrapose all subheadings from pp. 91-96 as well as the five statements on p. 97 | The Nature of God | ||
| Fallacy of the Week | Find example to discuss in class | Discussion of Fallacy examples | Fallacy of Accident | |
| 11/08/01 | Traditional Logic, Book I, Cothran: Chapter 10 | All exercises | Overview
of Chapter 10
Exercises for Days 1 & 2 |
Deductive Inference |
| Fundamentals of the Faith, Kreeft: Chapter 11 | Mark & Outline; identify the antecedents and consequents in as many arguments as you can; identify the major, minor and middle terms and the major and minor premises. | Discussion of Uniqueness of Christianity | Uniqueness of Christianity | |
| Fallacy of the Week | Find example to discuss in class | Discussion of Fallacy examples | Fallacy of False Cause | |
| 11/15/01 | Traditional Logic, Book I, Cothran: Chapter 11 | All exercises | Overview
of Chapter 11
Exercises for Days 1 & 2 |
Terminological Rules of Validity |
| Handbook of Christian Apologetics, Peter Kreeft: Chapter 3 | Summarize Argument #1; identify the antecedents and consequents in the argument; identify the major, minor and middle terms and the major and minor premises. State the argument in a syllogism and test using Rules I and II | Discuss Argument from Change | ||
| Fallacy of the Week | Find example to discuss in class | Discussion of Fallacy examples | Fallacy of Equivocation | |
| 11/22/01 | THANKSGIVING BREAK | |||
| 11/29/01 | Traditional Logic, Book I, Cothran: Chapters 12-13 | All exercises | Overview
of Chapters 12-13
Exercises for Days 1 & 2 |
Qualitative and Quantitative Rules of Validity |
| Handbook of Christian Apologetics, Peter Kreeft: Chapter 3 | Summarize Argument #2; identify the antecedents and consequents in the argument; identify the major, minor and middle terms and the major and minor premises. State the argument in a syllogism and test using Rules 1-7 | Discuss Argument from Efficient Causality | Efficient Causality | |
| Fallacy of the Week | Find example to discuss in class | Discussion of Fallacy examples | Fallacy of Begging the Question | |
| 12/06/01 | Traditional Logic, Book I, Cothran: Chapters 14 | All exercises | Overview
of Chapter 14
Exercises for Days 1 & 2 |
Review |
| Handbook of Christian Apologetics, Peter Kreeft: Chapter 3 | Summarize Argument #7; State the argument in a syllogism and test using Rules 1-7 | Discuss Argument from Efficient Causality | Efficient Causality | |
| Fallacy of the Week | Find example to discuss in class | Discussion of Fallacy examples | Fallacy of Form of Expression | |
| 12/13/01 | Traditional Logic, Book II, Cothran: Chapter 1 | All exercises | Overview
of Chapter 1
Exercises for Days 1 & 2 |
Figure in Syllogisms |
| Handbook of Christian Apologetics, Peter Kreeft: Chapter 3 | Summarize Argument #8; State the argument in a syllogism and determine which figure the argument is in | Discuss Argument from The World as an Interacting Whole | The World as an Interacting Whole | |
| Fallacy of the Week | Find example to discuss in class | Discussion of Fallacy examples | Fallacy of Amphiboly | |
| 12/20/01 | CHRISTMAS BREAK | |||
| 12/27/01 | CHRISTMAS BREAK | |||
| 01/03/02 | Traditional Logic, Book II, Cothran: Chapter 2 | All exercises | Overview
of Chapter 2
Exercises for Days 1 & 2 |
Mood in Syllogisms |
| Handbook of Christian Apologetics, Peter Kreeft: Chapter 3 | Summarize Argument #14; State the argument in a syllogism and determine its figure and mood; identify it by name | Discuss the Moral Argument | The Moral Argument | |
| Mere Christianity, C. S. Lewis, Book I, parts 1-2 | Summarize both chapters | |||
| Fallacy of the Week | Find example to discuss in class | Discussion of Fallacy examples | Fallacy of Association | |
| 01/10/02 | Traditional Logic, Book II, Cothran: Chapter 3 | All exercises | Overview
of Chapter 3
Exercises for Days 1 & 2 |
Reduction of Syllogisms to the First Figure |
| Mere Christianity, C. S. Lewis, Book I, parts 3-5 | Summarize chapters and derive Lewis's form of the moral argument; compare with Kreeft's version; if you derive any syllogisms that are not in the First Figure, reduce them to the First Figure | Discuss Lewis's version of the Moral Argument | The Moral Argument | |
| Fallacy of the Week | Find example to discuss in class | Discussion of Fallacy examples | Fallacy of Hasty Generalization | |
| 01/17/02 | Traditional Logic, Book II, Cothran: Chapter 4 | Days 1 & 2 Exercises | Overview
of Chapter 4
Exercises for Day 1 |
Indirect Reduction of Syllogisms |
| Handbook of Christian Apologetics, Peter Kreeft: Chapter 3 | Summarize Argument #16; State the argument in a syllogism and determine its figure and mood; identify it by name; if it is in a figure other than the first, reduce it. | Discuss the Argument from Desire | The Argument from Desire | |
| Fallacy of the Week | Find example to discuss in class | Discussion of Fallacy examples | Fallacy of Hasty Generalization | |
| 01/24/02 | Traditional Logic, Book II, Cothran: Chapter 4 | Days 3 & 4 Exercises | Review
of Chapter 4
Exercises for Day 3 |
Indirect Reduction of Syllogisms |
| Handbook of Christian Apologetics, Peter Kreeft: Chapter 3 | Summarize Argument #18; State the argument in a syllogism and determine its figure and mood; identify it by name; if it is in a figure other than the first, reduce it. | Discuss the Argument from Religious Experience | The Argument from Religious Experience | |
| Fallacy of the Week | Find example to discuss in class | Discussion of Fallacy examples | Fallacy of Composition | |
| 01/31/02 | Traditional Logic, Book II, Cothran: Chapter 5 | All Exercises | Review
of Chapter 5
Exercises for Days 1 & 2 |
Translating ordinary statements into logical statements |
| Handbook of Christian Apologetics, Peter Kreeft: Chapter 3 | Summarize Argument #19; State the argument in a syllogism and determine its figure and mood; identify it by name; if it is in a figure other than the first, reduce it. | Discuss the Argument from Common Consent | The Argument from Common Consent | |
| Fallacy of the Week | Find example to discuss in class | Discussion of Fallacy examples | Fallacy of Division | |
| 02/07/02 | Traditional Logic, Book II, Cothran: Chapter 6 | All Exercises; Case Study | Review
of Chapter 6
Exercises for Days 1 & 2 |
Enthymemes |
| Fallacy of the Week | Find example to discuss in class | Discussion of Fallacy examples | Fallacy of Oversimplification | |
| 02/14/02 | Traditional Logic, Book II, Cothran: Chapter 7 | All Exercises; Case Study | Review
of Chapter 7
Exercises for Days 1 & 2 |
Conditional Syllogisms |
| More than a Carpenter, Josh McDowell, Chapter 1 | Mark & Outline; Construct a conditional syllogism based on the author's argument on pp. 18-19 | Discuss whether Jesus claimed to be God | ||
| Fallacy of the Week | Find example to discuss in class | Discussion of Fallacy examples | Fallacy of Complex Question | |
| 02/21/02 | Traditional Logic, Book II, Cothran: Chapter 8 | All Exercises; Case Study | Review
of Chapter 8
Exercises for Days 1 & 2 |
Disjunctive Syllogisms |
| More than a Carpenter, Josh McDowell, Chapter 2 | Mark & Outline | Discuss C. S. Lewis' Trilemma; | ||
| Fallacy of the Week | Find example to discuss in class | Discussion of Fallacy examples | Fallacy of Extension | |
| 02/28/02 | Traditional Logic, Book II, Cothran: Chapter 9 | All Exercises; Case Study | Review
of Chapter 9
Exercises for Days 1 & 2 Discuss various social issues |
Conjunctive Syllogisms |
| Fallacy of the Week | Find example to discuss in class | Discussion of Fallacy examples | Fallacy of Diversion | |
| 03/07/02 | Traditional Logic, Book II, Cothran: Chapter 10 | All Exercises; Case Study | Review
of Chapter 10
Exercises for Days 1 & 2 |
PolySyllogisms & Aristotelian Sorites |
| More than a Carpenter, Josh McDowell, Chapter 4 | Mark & Outline; Construct at least one polysyllogism based on the arguments in Ch. 4 | Discussion of Historical Argument | ||
| Fallacy of the Week | Find example to discuss in class | Discussion of Fallacy examples | Fallacy of Contradictory Assumptions | |
| 03/14/02 | Traditional Logic, Book II, Cothran: Chapter 11 | All Exercises | Review
of Chapter 11
Exercises for Days 1 & 2 |
Goclenian Sorites |
| More than a Carpenter, Josh McDowell, Chapter 5 | Mark & Outline; Construct at least one polysyllogism based on the arguments in Ch. 5 | Discussion of Historical Argument | ||
| Fallacy of the Week | Find example to discuss in class | Discussion of Fallacy examples | Fallacy of Special Pleading | |
| 03/21/02 | Traditional Logic, Book II, Cothran: Chapter 11 | All Exercises | Review
of Chapter 11
Exercises for Days 3 & 4 |
Conditional Sorites |
| Fallacy of the Week | Find example to discuss in class | Discussion of Fallacy examples | Fallacy of Precondemnation | |
| 03/28/02 | Traditional Logic, Book II, Cothran: Chapter 12 | All Exercises; Case Study | Review
of Chapter 10
Exercises for Days 1 & 2; Discussion of Cosmological Argument for the Existence of God |
Epicheirema |
| Fallacy of the Week | Find example to discuss in class | Discussion of Fallacy examples | Fallacy of Analogy | |
| 04/04/02 | SPRING BREAK | |||
| 04/11/02 | Traditional Logic, Book II, Cothran: Chapter 13 | Day 1 & 2 Exercises | Review
of Chapter 13
Exercises for Day 1 |
Goclenian Sorites |
| Fallacy of the Week | Find example to discuss in class | Discussion of Fallacy examples | Fallacy of the Mean | |
| 04/18/02 | Traditional Logic, Book II, Cothran: Chapter 13 | Days 3 & 4 Exercises | Review
of Chapter 13
Exercises for Day 1 |
Conditional Sorites |
| Handbook of Christian Apologetics, Peter Kreeft: Chapter 6 | Mark & Summarize | Discussion of problem of evil | ||
| Fallacy of the Week | Find example to discuss in class | Discussion of Fallacy examples | Fallacy of Accent | |
| 04/25/02 | Traditional Logic, Book II, Cothran: Chapter 14 | All Exercises; Case Study | Review of Chapter 14
Exercises for Day 3; Discussion of whether Mary is the Mother of God |
The Oblique Syllogism |
| Fallacy of the Week | Find example to discuss in class | Discussion of Fallacy examples | Fallacy of Isolation | |
| 05/02/02 | Traditional Logic, Book II, Cothran: Chapter 15 | Days 1-2 Exercises | Discussion of Alice in Wonderland; social heirarchy | Various |
| Fallacy of the Week | Find example to discuss in class | Discussion of Fallacy examples | Fallacy of Prestige Jargon | |
| 05/09/02 | Traditional Logic, Book II, Cothran: Chapter 15 | Day 3 Exercises | Discussion of St. Paul's methods of argumentation | |
| 05/16/02 | Traditional Logic, Book II, Cothran: Chapter 15 | Day 4 Exercises | Discussion of Predestination/Free Will |