HW3 answer key now available
The key for homework #3 has now been posted to the readings page.
Archive of entries posted by Peter Alrenga
HW2 answer key: available
The key for homework #2 has now been posted to the readings page.
HW3, Part IV Clarification
Several of you have asked for clarification regarding Part IV (‘A Puzzle about English Conditional Sentences’) of your third homework assignment. Â Having read the directions again, they do seem a bit unclear. Â Here is what is being asked of you: In Part A, you should produce a PropL formula that translates the English sentence in …
Handout on Semantic Relations Amongst Sentences
Here’s a PDF handout summarizing today’s in-class discussion of semantic relations amongst sentences, and how they can be identified using propositional logic truth tables: Semantic Relations Amongst Sentences
Propositional Logic Handout
Here’s a PDF version of the handout on propositional logic that was distributed in class today. Â For those of you in the A1 section (Pete’s section), this version also contains the full truth table for example (3)–once you’ve completed it on your own, you can check your results against this version. The Language of Propositional …
HW3 (due 2/14 @ beg. of class)
Your third homework assignment is now available for download–just click on the link below for a PDF version.  It will be due on Monday, February  14, at the beginning of class. HW3 (due 2/14 @ beg. of class)
Reading for W 2/9 & F 2/11: Löbner §4.2-4.3 (pgs. 62-73)
I’ve posted a short excerpt from another Semantics textbook (written by Sebastian Löbner) in the “Readings” section of the website.  It discusses how certain semantic relationships between sentences, such as entailment, can be modeled in Propositional Logic.  Please read this excerpt for W 2/9 and F/211. (Note:  §4.2 of the reading uses some terms that …
Continue reading ‘Reading for W 2/9 & F 2/11: Löbner §4.2-4.3 (pgs. 62-73)’ »
Definition of ‘denial’
A few of you asked if I could re-state the definition of denial, since it is relevant to Part I of your current homework assignment. Â Here it is: Sentence A is the denial of sentence B: it is impossible for A and B to both be true, and it is also impossible for A and …
Handout on ‘all’, ‘most’, ‘some’, and their implicatures
Here’s a PDF version of the handout entitled “All, most, and some: A case study in implicature”, which we (Pete’s section) worked through in today class: ‘All’, ‘most’, and ‘some’: A case study in implicature
HW1 answer key (UPDATED)
The HW1 answer key is now available for download. Â So as to restrict their availability, we’ve decided to post your HW answer keys in the “Readings” section of this website–just use the password listed on your syllabus to access them.