PLA 3723 - Logic and the Law

College of Policy, Ethics and Legal Studies

Credit(s): 3
Contact Hours: 47
Effective Term Spring 2011 (435)

Requisites

Pre- or Co-requisite PLA 2114 and
Admission to Paralegal Studies (Bachelor of Applied Science) (LEGAL-BAS)

Course Description

This course will introduce students to various forms of reasoning and informal fallacies. Subsequently, the course will conduct an in-depth study of deductive syllogistic logic and will conclude by introducing the quantification techniques of propositional and predicate logic (first-order symbolic logic). The course includes logic games and application of logical analytical principles to legal writing.

Learning Outcomes and Objectives

  1. The student will understand basic concepts of logical propositions by:
    1. creating a demonstrative aid to explicate the basic concept.
    2. analyzing logic games which utilize logical constructs.
    3. analyzing court opinions to demonstrate the presence or absence of logical coherence.
  2. The student will master basic argument analysis by:
    1. creating a demonstrative aid explicating basic argument analysis.
    2. working with logic games which are built upon basic logical argument structure.
    3. analyzing court opinions to demonstrate the presence or absence of logical argument structure.
  3. The student will recognize logical fallacies by:
    1. creating a demonstrative aid which explains some of the basic fallacies.
    2. solving problems and logic games which turn upon successful recognition and application of knowledge of fallacies.
    3. analyzing court opinions to demonstrate the presence or absence of logical fallacies.
  4. The student will understand and apply classical deductive logic by:
    1. creating a demonstrative aid which explains principles of classical deductive logic.
    2. solving problems and logic games which turn upon successful recognition and application of principles of classical deductive logic.
    3. analyzing court opinions to demonstrate the application of classical deductive logic.
  5. The student will understand and apply modern deductive logic by:
    1. creating a demonstrative aid which explains principles of modern deductive logic.
    2. solving problems and logic games which turn upon successful recognition and application of principles of modern deductive logic.
    3. analyzing court opinions to demonstrate the application of modern deductive logic.
  6. The student will understand and apply inductive logic by:
    1. creating a demonstrative aid which explains principles of inductive logic.
    2. solving problems and logic games which turn upon successful recognition and application of inductive logic.
    3. analyzing court opinions to demonstrate the application of inductive logic.

Criteria Performance Standard

Upon successful completion of the course the student will, with a minimum of 70% accuracy, demonstrate mastery of each of the above stated objectives through classroom measures developed by individual course instructors.

History of Changes

C&I 10/25/05, BOT 11/15/05, Effective 20052(0360). Number changed to 3723 (was 3795) effective 20053(0365).
C&I Approval: 12/07/2010, BOT Approval: 02/22/2011, Effective Term: Spring 2011 (435)

Related Programs

  1. Paralegal Studies (LEGAL-BAS) (640) (Active)