Using interrogative logic to teach classical logic

TL;DR

This paper introduces a teaching tool based on interrogative logic that helps students symbolically analyze natural language sentences in classical first-order logic, enhancing understanding through a narrative approach.

Contribution

It extends Hintikka's concept of attention range in interrogative games to create an interactive method for teaching classical logic symbolization.

Findings

The tool improves students' ability to symbolize natural language sentences.

It provides a narrative framework that makes learning classical logic more intuitive.

The approach is adaptable to various educational contexts.

Abstract

In the paper I discuss a tool for helping students in their symbolizations of natural language sentences using the formal language of classical first order logic (CFOL). The tool is an extension of Hintikka's concept of (Inquirer's) range of attention in the context of interrogative games. Any given text is reconstructed as the answer to a "big" or principal question obtained through the answers of a series of "small" or operative questions. The tool brings some "narrative flavor" to the symbolization and offers a convenient mold that can be used by students in many different contexts.