An introduction to Western philosophy and logic
By focusing on a passage from Plato’s Euthyphro, I will introduce the Socratic methods of dialogue and argument with which Western philosophy begins. In particular, Socrates asks whether piety is what is loved by the gods, or whether the gods love that which is pious. We will then take a closer look at the logical form of these Socrates’ questions, considering the nature of the concepts involved. The workshop will conclude by contemplating an analogous question in ethics: is it that our actions are right in virtue of aligning with our moral values, or are our moral values an attempt to value what is right?
An introduction to philosophical logic:
Philosophical logic describes how we ought to reason with some of the most fundamental concepts which cannot otherwise be defined. In this workshop, I will present a brief historical overview of where modern logic comes from, as well as the methods by which logic proceeds. I will then turn to introduce some of the key concepts which logic investigates, presenting the standard definitions of logical consequence and proof. The workshop will conclude with an introduction to some of the logical systems which have been developed over the past century and a half.