HSS439 / DHS439
Advanced Logic
Dongwoo Kim
Fall 2025
E-mail: [email protected]
Office Hours: Tu. 11:00-12:00 Class Hours: Tu & Th 13:00∼ 14:30.
Office: N4-1306 Classroom: E11-201
Course description
This course is designed as an introductory course in computability (recursion) theory for
students who have no background in the subject. The central results of the computability
theory will be presented in relation to basic ideas in formal logic. The main goal of the
course will be to present a complete proof of Gödel’s Incompleteness Theorems and Tarski’s
Indefinability of Truth Theorem. Students will also be introduced to the intuitive concept of
computability and its formal counterparts. Due to the very nature of the subject matter, this
course inevitably involves the use of formal and mathematical methods. Nothing, however,
will be presupposed; and everything will be developed a the self-contained way. Students are
only expected to have the willingness to engage with formal or mathematical arguments.
Learning goals
Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
• demonstrate a sound grasp of the basic notions of logic; e.g., “truth”, “provability”,
“soundness”, and “completeness”;
• exhibit a clear and detailed understanding of the formal languages of arithmetic and its
variants and their standard interpretation;
• demonstrate a solid understanding of basic ideas of computability theory;
• state basic results of computability theory and its relation to various philosophical is-
sues.
Criteria of evaluation
Students enrolled in this course will be evaluated upon:
• The preciseness of their understanding of the basic notions of logic, the formal language
of arithmetic and its variants, and their interpretations;
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• The solid understanding of basic ideas of computability theory;
• The depth of their grasp of the basic theorems of computability theory.
Grading
Grading Breakdown
Your grade will be a function of three things: participation, homework assignments, and three
exams.
• 10% Attendance: I expect all students to attend every class, arrive on time, and par-
ticipate in class. Each unexcused absence and lateness will be marked down 1% and .5% of
your total grade, respectively. Absence and lateness are excused if there are legitimate and
compelling reasons and only with advance notice of at least 24 hours. What count as
legitimate and compelling reasons will be assessed by the instructor on a case-by-case
basis. If you miss more than 9 classes, excused or unexcused, you will get a failing
grade.
• 10% Participation: Contribution to discussion is the main way to get a high participa-
tion score, but you can also boost your score by being engaged and on time. You may
earn 1% bonus towards your final grades for each valuable contribution you make to the class.
What counts as such will be determined by the instructor on a case-by-case basis. Each
disruptive classroom behavior will be marked down 1% of the total grade. Common disrup-
tive classroom behaviors include non-participation in class discussion or activity and
disrespectful behaviors to anyone in classroom.
• 80% homework assignments: There will be 6 homework assignments in total.
(1) Of the assignments that you submit, the lowest one will be dropped and not count
towards your final grade for the course. This means that your score for any missing
homework assignment will be 0 and count towards your final grade.
(2) If you miss two homework assignments or more, then your final grade for the
course will be no higher than C.
Late submission policy
Extensions will be granted only for compelling academic reasons (e.g., conflicts with other
due dates) and only with advance notice of at least 24 hours, or for personal reasons to be
assessed on a case-by-case basis. Late submissions will be marked down by 5% of the total
grade per day. Note also that no late submission will be accepted three days after it is originally due.
Important dates
• September 2nd : First day of class
• October 7th : No class scheduled (Chuseok)
• October 9rd : No class scheduled (Hangeulnal)
• December 18th : Final day of class
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Schedule and weekly learning goals
The schedule is tentative and subject to change.
Week 01, 09/02 - 09/04: Introduction to the course
• Course Introduction
• First Order Language.
Week 02, 09/09 - 09/11: Intuitive Concept of Computability
• The intuitive concept of computabilty theory and its counterparts
• Church’s Thesis
Week 03, 09/16 - 09/18: Truth and Satisfaction I
• Truth and Satisfaction for First Order Language
• Assignment 1 due
Week 04, 09/23 - 09/25: Truth and Satisfaction II
• Truth and Satisfaction for First Order Language
Week 05, 09/30 - 10/02: The Enumeration Theorem
• Cantor’s Diagonal Principle
• Introduction to Gödel-Tarski Theorem
Week 06, 10/07 - 10/09: Reducibility
• Deductive Systems
• The Theories Q and PA
Week 07, 10/14 - 10/16: Comprehensive review for midterm
Week 08, 10/21 - 10/23: Midterm
Week 09, 10/28 - 10/30: A First Version of Gödel’s Theorems I
• An Non-effective Version of Gödel’s Theorem
Week 10, 11/04 - 11/06: A First Version of Gödel’s Theorem II
• An Non-effective Version of Gödel’s Theorem
Week 11, 11/11 - 11/13: A Second Version of Gödel’s Theorem I
• An Effective Version of Gödel’s Theorem
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Week 12, 11/18 - 11/20: A Second Version of Gödel’s Theorem II
• A Normal Form Theorem for Recursive Functions
Week 12, 11/25 - 11/27: Self Reference and Recursion I
• Self Reference Lemma
Week 13, 12/02 - 12/04: Self Reference and Recursion II
• Recursion Theorem
Week 14, 12/09 - 12/11: Catching up and looking ahead
• Fixed-Point Theorem and Jump Operator
• Church’s Theorem Revisited
• Arithmetical Hierarchy
Week 15, 12/16 - 12/18: Comprehensive review for final
Week 16, 12/23 - 12/25: Final exam
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