Logic, Proof, and Programming
Week Zelle (Z) Reading Barwise & Etchemendy (BE) Reading
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1 Ch 1 What is Computer Science Ch 1 Atomic Sentences
2 Ch 2 Variables & Assignments Ch 2 The Logic of Atomic Sentences
3 Ch 3 Numbers Ch 3 The Boolean Connectives
4 Ch 4 Strings Ch 4 The Logic of Boolean Connectives
5 Ch 5 Graphics and Objects Ch 5 Methods of Proof for Boolean Logic
6 Ch 6 Functions Ch 6 Formal Proofs and Boolean Logic
7 Ch 7 Decisions Ch 7 Conditionals
8 Ch 8 Loops & Booleans Ch 8 The Logic of Conditionals
9 Ch 9 Simulation & Design Ch 9 Introduction to Quantification
10 Review and Reflection
Credit and Evaluation Policy
Successful learning requires active involvement in learning activities:
reading, writing, problem solving, discussion, and lecture .
The credit and evaluation policy is based on this observation.
Credit will be awarded for participating in and completing the entire body
of work for the program at a passing level of performance. Credit decisions
and evaluations will be based on
- attendance and active participation,
- on-time completion of readings and written assignments, and
- satisfactory performance on all exams and written work.
The quality of your work, the level of your understanding, and the extent of
your improvement will be reflected in your evaluation.
As a general policy credit will be awarded on an all or none basis,
although the faculty reserves the right to make exceptions to that rule.
No incompletes will be given.
Attendance is required at all program activities. Failure to attend
one third or more of scheduled class meetings or failure to submit one third or more of assigned work is sufficient grounds for loss of credit.
Failure to achieve satisfactory results on exams or failure to submit
satisfactory written assignments in a timely way is sufficient grounds for
loss of credit.
Cumulative portfolios of all written work may be reviewed periodically and are
due along with draft self evaluations on Thursday of the last week of
classes. Final self evaluations and faculty evaluations on the official
evaluation forms are due at your evaluation conference scheduled during
week 11 of the quarter.
Faculty and Program Aides
- Neal Nelson, Lab 1 2010, 360-867-6738, nealn@evergreen.edu
- Drew Vance, Python and Logic Aide, drew@drewvance.com.
Consulting on Mondays 3-4 in Cal West and Thursdays 1-3 in Quasr.
- James Porter, Python Lab Aide, porjam12@evergreen.edu,
Consulting 3-5 on Tuesdays in the ACC.
Catalog Description
This program introduces the logical, historical, and mathematical foundations of problem solving and computing in the sciences. Students in the program will study the evolution of rational thought and mathematical abstraction in the history of science along with the systems of logic and programming that we use today for problem solving in science, mathematics, and computing.
Early Greek philosophers dared to assume that humanity could comprehend the true nature of the universe and the material world through rational thought. Using historical readings we will investigate key conceptual developments in the evolution of scientific and mathematical thought from those early intellectual explorations to the twentieth century. At the same time we will learn the powerful formal systems of logic and computing into which those early ideas have evolved today. We will study first order mathematical logic and its relationship to early Greek rational thought, contemporary critical reasoning, and scientific theories. We also will study how logic is used to build modern digital computers and how mathematical abstraction and logic combine in the creative act of constructing computer programs to solve problems. Class activities will include hands-on laboratory work in programming and logic along with lectures, weekly readings, seminar discussions, written essays, and weekly homework problems.
Themes of Study and Equivalent Credits
The program will be organized around logic and computation both as it evolved
historically and as we understand it today. Through the eyes of the earliest
thinkers we will see the roots of science, mathematics and logic as a human
endeavor; a desire to understand ourselves and our place in the universe.
At the same time we'll practice skills and techniques of reasoning, abstraction,
and computation that are the foundation of contemporary scientific
understanding of the material world. Our goal is to bring these ends of time
together into a broader and deeper understanding of the foundations of
science while building practical skills in logic, mathematics, and computing.
We'll explore fundamental concepts of logic and
mathematics in the context in which they evolved in the history of science, so
this is a great chance to make sense out of mathematics beyond just symbol
manipulation by looking at the original motivations for its use. Of course
learning mathematics requires doing mathematics, so there will be a good
portion of weekly problems to solve and discuss. We'll also have two lab times
a week to work on deductive reasoning in logic and computer programming in
the language Python.
Class activities will include lectures, labs, readings, problem solving,
short essays, discussion, and presentations. Credit equivalencies for this program are likely to include
- Introduction to Mathematical Logic
- Critical and Deductive Reasoning
- History of Science and Mathematics
- Introduction to Programming