usenet@ucbvax.ARPA (USENET News Administration) (10/10/85)
> These tools include: > > - logic. Almost all of programming is based on formal logic. In > most cases, the major exposure to formal logic that an undergrad > gets is in a switching theory course. If the kid doesn't take > a EE course, he/she is out of luck. Wonderful! Someone has brought up my very favorite subject! Let me tell you a story ... I have been trying for at least 3 years to get the CS and Math depts. here at Berkeley to make an introductory course in formal logic a requirement for CS and Math majors. This is for many reasons, including: (1). Logic is absolutely fundamental to mathematical reasoning. I have worked with many students who were struggling with upper division math and cs theory courses, and almost invariably they were stuck at certain points due to lack of understanding of the most simple aspects of symbolic logic (which they had not studied). (2). Logic is *THE* fundamental subject that any educated person needs to understand. I claim that a great deal of the tragedy in human history has been due to popular ideas lacking in logic (for example National Socialism a few years ago ... I could mention a few current abuses of logic by political leaders also ...) (3). Logic is certainly necessary and helpful in computer programming, not to mention being closely tied to the theory of computation. I finally got my proposal to the point where it was being seriously considered by a committee. But the decision was "WE DON'T WANT ANY MORE LOGIC IN OUR COURSES." The reason given: Some idiots after taking a course in symbolic logic (get this) *WRITE OUT ALL THEIR MATHEMATICAL PROOFS COMPLETELY FORMALIZED* when taking upper division math courses, and the professors can't stand these people (I don't blame them). Didn't they learn from the very start that the idea is *NOT* to formalize every proof, just to *BE ABLE* to formalize them if necessary. Oh well, my life's struggle to add Logic to the Math/CS required course list went down the drain due to the above absurd situation ...