Math 170 Schedule

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday
May 15

No class

Reading:
  • Introduction, in GEB
May 16

Lecture/Discussion:
  • Introduction to course, history
  • Discussion of Introduction, GEB
Reading:
  • Introduction, GEB
May 17

Lecture/Discussion:
  • Zeno's paradox, infinity, Carroll's paradox
  • Formal systems: symbols, strings, set notations, relations
Reading:
  • Three-Part Invention, Chapter I, Two-Part Invention, in GEB
May 18

Lecture:
  • More on formal systems, notations
  • Some examples
  • Interpretation, meaning, isomorphism
Reading:
  • Chapter II, in GEB
Homework 1 due.
May 22

Lecture/Discussion:
  • More rules of logic
  • The tq-system
  • Positive/negative space
Reading:
  • Sonata for Unaccompanied Achilles, Chp III (through pg. 71), in GEB
May 23

Discussion:
  • HW 2
  • (Recursive) enumeration
  • Record players
Reading:
  • ppg. 71-88, in GEB
May 24

Discussion:
  • (Non) Euclidean geometry
  • (In)consistency
Reading:
  • ppg. 88-100, in GEB
Homework 2 due. 		May 25

Lecture/Discussion:
  • Completeness
  • Recursive structures, stacks
  • Meta-what?
Reading:
  • ppg. 100-134 (emphasis on Little Harmonic Labyrinth), in GEB
Homework 3 due.
May 29

No class: Memorial Day!

Reading:
  • ppg. 153-167, in GEB
May 30

Discussion:
  • HW 3
  • Messages, triggers, context
  • Examples: DNA and music
Reading:
  • ppg. 153-176, in GEB
Homework 4 due. 		May 31

Lecture/Discussion:
  • Can messages be universal?
  • Axiomatizing logic
Reading:
  • ppg. 177-188, in GEB
June 1

Lecture/Discussion:
  • Propositional calculus
  • Formal proofs
  • Examples, examples, ...
Reading:
  • ppg. 188-196, in GEB
Homework 5 due.
June 5

Lecture/Discussion:
  • Propositional calculus
  • Sample derivations

Reading:
  • Chp 7 of GEB
June 6

Discussion:
  • HW 6
  • Crab Canon
  • Introduction to TNT
Reading:
  • ppg. 199-214, in GEB
Homework 6 due. 		June 7

Lecture/Discussion:
  • Rules of TNT, quantifiers
  • Mathematical induction
Reading:
  • ppg. 213-224, in GEB
June 8

Lecture/Discussion:
  • Sample derivations in TNT, proofs
  • A Mu Offering
Reading:
  • ppg. 227-245, in GEB
Homework 7 due.