Mathematics 5165-5166: Mathematical Logic

Fall 2007- Spring 2008



You may also ask questions by e-mail at any time.

Prerequisites: One of the following: Math 3283W, or Math 2283, or the Honors Math calculus sequence, or a 5xxx level Philosophy course in Logic, or a theoretical computer science course dealing with finite automata, Turing Machines, etc., or my permission.

Experience has shown that students without the prerequisites have a tough time.

This is not a course in logical reasoning. It is a rather theoretical mathematics course with lots of proofs, that uses mathematics to investigate the structure of various mathematical systems. In particular, it is concerned in part with understanding the strength and limitations of mathematical systems, and the nature of computability.

Required Texts

A&C will soon be available, and Enderton is available, both at the University Bookstore.




Math 5165 is the first semester of a year course, Math 5165-5166, in Mathematical Logic. Math 5165 is devoted to sentential logic, and first-order logic leading up to but not including the Goedel Completeness Theorem. Since Math 5166 is a direct continuation of Math 5165, it is not recommended that one take Math 5166 without first taking Math 5165.

The material covered in Fall Semester provides the groundwork for most of the exciting results, which occur in Spring Semester. A student who takes Math 5165 but not Math 5166 will miss material on the Goedel Completeness Theorem and applications, algorithms, effective computability, recursive functions, and the Goedel Incompleteness Theorems.
Fall Semester will cover approximately Parts I-II and the first half of Part III below.

Brief course description for Math 5165-5166: