Module 21155 (2010)
Syllabus page 2010/2011
06-21155
Language & Logic
Level 1/C
Mark Lee
10 credits in Semester 2
Links | Outline | Aims | Outcomes | Prerequisites | Teaching | Assessment | Books | Detailed Syllabus
The Module Description is a strict subset of this Syllabus Page. (The University module description has not yet been checked against the School's.)
Relevant Links
Outline
The module provides some of the knowledge and skills necessary for the rigorous communication of information via natural language as well as formal languages.
Aims
The aims of this module are to:
- provide an understanding of the declarative portion of natural language
- show how to analyse the information conveyed through statements
- explain how to formalize this information content using rigorous natural language as well as formal languages such as symbolic logic
- explain the notions of logical consequence, validity and consistency
- show example applications of the rigorous use in Computer Science of natural language and formal languages such as symbolic logic
- provide a foundation for further modules on formalising software requirements, information systems analysis, and information security policies
- give an introduction to issues in natural language processing
- provide a taster and motivation for studying more formal logic and reasoning systems
Learning Outcomes
| On successful completion of this module, the student should be able to: | Assessed by: | |
| 1 | communicate information rigorously in natural language | Examination, Continuous Assessment |
| 2 | analyse the information content of natural language statements by recognizing valid conclusions and identifying consistent collections of statements | Examination, Continuous Assessment |
| 3 | analyse the structure of natural language arguments and identify classical fallacies | Examination, Continuous Assessment |
| 4 | encode natural language statements in symbolic logic and make simple logical inferences | Examination, Continuous Assessment |
| 5 | demonstrate knowledge of the Computer Science applications of rigorous natural language as well as formal languages such as symbolic logic | Examination, Continuous Assessment |
Restrictions, Prerequisites and Corequisites
Restrictions:
None
Prerequisites:
None
Co-requisites:
None
Teaching
Teaching Methods:
2 hrs/week lectures, tutorials and exercise classes
Contact Hours:
Assessment
- Sessional: 1.5 hr examination (80%), continuous assessment (20%).
- Supplementary (where allowed): 1.5 hr examination (100%).
Recommended Books
| Title | Author(s) | Publisher, Date |
| Logic | Paul Tomassi | Routledge, 1999 |
| Logic | Wilfrid Hodges | Penguin, 1997 |
Detailed Syllabus
- Declarative language: problems due to ambiguity, vagueness, generality; Computer Science applications, e.g., security policies or software requirements
- Natural language structure: syntax, semantics and pragmatics
- Basics of argument structure: premises, conclusions, evidence
- Logical connectives and the propositional calculus: simple notions of truth, falsehood, validity and soundness
- Truthtables as a means to prove validity
- Natural deduction in Propositional Logic
- First Order Predicate Logic
- Natural deduction in Predicate Logic
Last updated: 24 Sep 2009
Source file: /internal/modules/COMSCI/2010/xml/21155.xml
Links | Outline | Aims | Outcomes | Prerequisites | Teaching | Assessment | Books | Detailed Syllabus