Instructor: Lucas Bang
Class meeting time: Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:35 am until 10:50 pm
Class meeting location: Shanahan 3461
Office hours:
My office hours for this class are in MCSC 328 (my office). I am also happy to schedule other times on an as-needed basis.
Instructor contact:
bang@cs.hmc.edu
This course will cover core concepts in applied logic and automated reasoning, including propositional logic, temporal logic, data structures for efficient computation over logical formulas, and practical tools for modeling and checking logic systems using techniques like automated theorem proving. We will also cover some other topics to be determined by time and interest.
My hope is that by taking this course, you will gain an appreciation for both how logic can be used to solve complex problems and how logic fits in the broader context of culture, history, and society.
Prerequisites: CS81 and CS70.
No text book. You are not required to purchase a textbook for this course. Relevant reading material will be provided as necessary.
Course Communication. TBD
GitHub. We will use GitHub to distribute and collect Homework assignments, so make sure you have your github account access and credentials up to date.
Grading. Grades will be based on a total of approximately 8-10 assignments (totalling 80% of your final grade, a mix of programming and written problems), and a final project written report (10%) and presentation (10%).
Standards-based Grading. We will try out standards-based grading for this course. We will talk more about the details in class. In standards-based grading, rather than using a typical 100-point scale, or the usual A,B,C,D,F scale, we use numerical standards scores.
Working with others. You are encouraged to work with a partner. If you choose to do so, you will turn in a single assignment with both your names attached to it and you will both receive the same grade. You can switch partners between assignments, but not during assignments. Or you can keep the same partner all semester, or work alone sometimes and partnered other times.
Software. We will use a few different software packages in this course. All of the necessary software will be provided as needed. For example, programming assignments will use a combination of python, python-z3, and NuSMV, and other tools as well.
Expectations for student participation. Student participation is key to creating a fun, productive classroom. But participating in class does not necessarily mean talking a lot! Here are some examples of what I mean by participation. In all instances, be respectful and responsible in your communication.
All students enrolled in this course are assumed to follow the Harvey Mudd College Honor Code. The Honor Code describes student-developed standards for academic and personal integrity. Its rules and procedures are described in the Harvey Mudd College Student Handbook.
Before you can learn, all your basic human needs must be met. All of these things are more important than whatever is going on in class:
If you do not have all of these, or if you are a caretaker for someone who does not have these and you need time to care for them, then please contact your Academic Dean to let them know. (If you are a Mudd student, you can email academicdeans@g.hmc.edu. If your home campus is CMC, Pitzer, Scripps, or Pomona, contact your appropriate Academic Dean.) Typically, your Dean will then contact us to arrange flexibility for our course, if necessary. If you feel comfortable, you can additionally contact us directly. You do not need to tell us any personal details if you do not want to, you can just let us know that you are in touch with your Dean about getting some flexibility for the course.
Our goal is to create a learning environment that is usable, equitable, inclusive, and welcoming. If facets of the instruction or design of this course result in barriers to inclusion—either to an individual or a specific group—please let us know as soon as possible. If for any reason you do not feel talking to us, please feel free to contact the HMC Dean of Faculty, your own Dean of Students, or a faculty member at your home campus, depending on whom you feel most comfortable with.
My goal is to make my course accessible to all of you and support your learning to the best of my ability. To request any academic accommodations, you’ll contact the relevant disabilities resources person from your institution. Please send me any questions. I’m happy to help. You have a right to accommodations for temporary or permanent disabilities. If you have a disability (including mental health and chronic or temporary medical conditions) and if you may need some accommodation in order to fully participate in this class, please contact your home college’s accessibility office:
The Claremont Colleges also has a Student Disability Resources Center (SDRC), which provides many resources for students, including an assistive technology loan program.
The mission of Harvey Mudd College is to prepare leaders who understand the impact of their work on society. Our institution is a vibrant part of that society, and we might be affected by the pandemic, by the violence in our world, and by the tumult of politics. We understand that some students may wish to take part in civic engagement. Therefore, we want to accommodate your reasonable participation in such events. It works best if you can coordinate with us in advance, ideally at least 24 hours before any affected due dates.
Harvey Mudd College is committed to providing an environment free of all forms of discrimination and sexual harassment, including sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking. If you or someone you know has experienced or experiences any of these incidents, know that you are not alone. Please be aware that many HMC employees, including all faculty members, are considered Responsible Employees who are required to relay any information or reports of sexual misconduct they receive to the Title IX Coordinator. This means that if you tell us about a situation involving sexual harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, or stalking, we must report the information to the Title IX Coordinator. Although we have to report the situation, you will still have options about how your case will be handled, including whether or not you wish to pursue a formal complaint. Our goal is to make sure you are aware of the range of options available to you and have access to the resources you need. If you wish to speak to someone confidentially, you can contact any of the following on-campus resources, who are not required to report the incident to the Title IX Coordinator: (1) the EmPOWER Center (909.607.2689), the Monsour Counseling Center (909.621.8202), and the McAlister Chaplains (909.621.8685). Additional information about your options is also available at https://www.hmc.edu/tix.
All policies in this syllabus are subject to change if there is a compelling academic justification. Such changes will be clearly announced. (We do not expect there will be any.)