Topics for test 2

The following are the topics to be covered. The proportion of the test covering each will approximate the proportion of the classes so far that have been devoted to that topic. Your homework and the collection of old tests will provide specific examples of the kinds of questions I might ask.

Analysis. Be able to analyze the logical form of a sentence as fully as possible using conjunction and present the form in both symbolic and English notation.

Synthesis. Be able to synthesize an English sentence that has a given logical form.

Derivations. Be able to construct derivations to show that entailments hold and to show that they fail. I may tell you in advance whether an entailment holds or leave it to you to check that using derivations. There will be at least one derivation where detachment and attachment rules may be used and where they will shorten the proof. But there will be other derivations where you must rely on other rules, either because detachment and attachment rules do not apply or because I tell you not to use them.

I may also ask you to explain why a derivation rule works or does not work. This may be one of the rules you have available for use or another conceivable rule that is not part of the system we use. (For an example of a question of this sort, see question 8 of test 1 for 2000.)