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"The best introduction to logic you will find."—Martin Gardner

"Professor Bennett entertains as she instructs," writes Publishers Weekly about the penetrating yet practical Logic Made Easy. This brilliantly clear and gratifyingly concise treatment of the ancient Greek discipline identifies the illogical in everything from street signs to tax forms. Complete with puzzles you can try yourself, Logic Made Easy invites readers to identify and ultimately remedy logical slips in everyday life. Designed with dozens of visual examples, the book guides you through those hair-raising times when logic is at odds with our language and common sense. Logic Made Easy is indeed one of those rare books that will actually make you a more logical human being. 36 illustrations. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (16)

Logic Is Still Not Easy for Me
Despite the title of the book, in the end logic is still not easy, at least not formal logic.The last few chapters of the book are about how difficult formal logic seems to be for the mere mortal (I count myself among those).There are a number of reasons for this, like the sheer complexity of logical arguments, or the tendency of people to add other knowledge to the equation, for example.As a result, conditional statements like "If it rains, you will not go to the party" are perceived as bi-conditional statements: "If it rains, you will not go to the party and if you did not go to the party, it rained".Bennett explains that there may be other reasons why you did not go to the party (It was being thrown by geeks).But people naturally assume the bi-conditional, because this is what we do in daily conversation, but should not be done in formal logic.I found many of the explanations and examples challenging but I suppose that is the purpose of the book - if logic were that easy, maybe the book would not have been written.There is also a lot of interesting material about the history of logic and how it was applied ultimately for uses like transistors and computer chips.Indeed, formal logic is the foundation of today's computer technology.This is one of those books that will require a re-read to get the most out of it.

Good intro to the study of logic
The study of logic is very different from the logic that we use in our everyday lives, and this book gives a good introduction to the basic rules. It was an easy and fun read (Deborah's writing style is very playful) and gives good historical references and examples using laymen's terms. Deborah deepened my interest and respect for the many logicians before our time such as Aristotle, Lewis Carroll (famous for writing Alice in Wonderland, but whom I was surprised to find was a big logician!), and so on.

If you are looking for a book to help specifically prepare you for the logic section of the LSATs, then you might prefer going straight to an LSAT prep book instead. (Only a few examples from standardized tests are listed in this book, but their sole purpose is to help exemplify some theory.) However, if you would like to hear a little bit more on the history behind the theory (and can afford the time), then I highly recommend reading this book. I read this book before starting my studies for the LSATs and it made tackling LSAT problems more fun since now that I knew a little bit about the theory and history, I developed an appreciation for logic-type questions, and could now focus on improving my technique using the LSAT prep books.

Excellent, but not so easy
I have to say this book on logic is excellent but i found it a bit difficult at times, especially as it pogresses further & deeper into the subject. I feel at times the writer could have explained it better by using shorter & simpler ways. Some of the example tests are awfully interesting & will indulge many i'm sure who are interested to know about the basics of Logic. I would have given it a 4 or 5 but i feel the title is not as easy as it sounds but i do recommend it none the less.

Solid LSAT Preparation Tool and Supplement to Introductory Logic Courses
This book is a clear, concise, well-written analysis of many of the most important concepts in modern logic. Probably its greatest virtue is the light it sheds on the numerous logical errors we make in conversation and on paper and on how best to overcome these errors. I would recommend this book as a primer or supplement to introductory and intermediate courses in logic, or as a supplemental LSAT preparation tool.

Good Reference
I had taken logic in college so I had a bit of a understanding of the subject before picking this book up a couple of years later to refresh the concepts.

The author does a good job of setting forth the principles of logic and how to "think logically" which I found helpful.

For me is was understandable and reinforced/refreshed concepts that I had become hazy on. I now thumb through the book now and again to review chapters to keep the things in mind. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (2)

Perfect Introduction to Hegel's Logic
Warning: this turned out to be a long and rather rambling review so I have broken it up into two sections. The first section deals directly with Houlgate's book and why I think it's just swell. The second section contains some of my own thoughts on Hegel's continuing relevance and so can be safely skipped by those who are uninterested.

I.

It would be hard to praise this book too highly as an introduction to Hegel's formidable Science of Logic. Houlgate manages to do two things with this book and he does both extremely well.

First, Houlgate has written an accessible introduction to one of the most difficult texts in the history of philosophy for those who, like me, are still beginner's when it comes to Hegel.

Second, Houlgate engages in a scholarly debate with many of the most important commentators/interpreters/critics of Hegel beginning with contemporaries of Hegel or near contemporaries (Schelling, Trendelenburg, Kierkegaard) and moving all the way through modern times (Gadamer, Derrida, Taylor, Pippin). The reader gets both an introduction to Hegel's logic and an introduction to the historical debates surrounding the interpretation of Hegel's thought and logic.

Houlgate is particularly strong in his analysis of the transitions between the logical categories. He is always careful to refrain from brining in "external reflections" in transitioning between the categories, instead allowing the categories to develop based on their own internal logic. This is certainly the way Hegel himself viewed and understood his logic. Whether you believe Hegel was actually successful in this task is, of course, a separate question. There will be many who will be critical of these transitions, just as there are many who are critical of the whole notion of bringing movement into logic in the first place. However, before you can criticize a philosopher it is obviously necessary to first understand them. And if your goal is to understand Hegel I highly suggest you buy this book immediately.

II.

I would also like to make a few comments in regard to Hegel's continuing relevance. Charles Taylor famously proclaimed that Hegel's ontology was dead. And I think it would be hard to find too many philosophers these days who would try to defend or agree with Hegel's idealist ontology. With all the successes of the modern, empirical sciences it would also be hard to find too many people who would agree with the idea that the analysis of pure thought can tell us something about the nature of reality. And finally, even for those who are interested in logic purely for it's own sake, the fact is that modern, formal logic has gone in a very different direction from Hegel's logic. You could say that modern, formal logic has it's source in Aristotle's syllogistic logic which Aristotle develops in his Prior Analytics. Hegel's logic, on the other hand, is more in the tradition of Aristotle's Categories. Modern, formal logic is about the nature of valid inference, while Hegel's logic is ultimately an analysis of the categories through which the mind grasps reality. So one might wonder whether Hegel is still relevant.

I think he is. Of course Hegel has had a great deal of influence in the Continental tradition of philosophy and so he is worth studying for that reason alone. It would be impossible to fully understand thinkers like Derrida, Deleuze, or Zizek without a pretty solid understanding of Hegel; but more than that, I believe Hegel is worth studying in his own right.

Concern with the basic categories through which the mind grasps reality shows up in altered form in Emile Durkheim's 'social representations', Thomas Kuhn's 'paradigms, and Karl Marx's critiques of bourgeois economics. This is one area in which, I think, a study of Hegel could be valuable. The major difference between Hegel and these thinkers is that Hegel attempts to ground the absolute validity of the categories in his own presuppositionless beginning with pure being. There probably are not too many philosophers who would agree that it is possible, or even desirable, to ground the categories in this way but Hegel's analysis of the categories is still philosophically interesting and relevant in my opinion and can be brought into fruitful dialogue with the above thinkers (as well as many others). Hegel's categories are also far more abstract than the categories being analyzed by the above thinkers. Hegel is dealing with categories like "something" or "determination" and attempting to explain precisely what it is we think when we think these categories. This is not easy to do but it is quite interesting.

This is all rather vague since I have just started studying Hegel. But I am convinced he is no dead dog. At the very least reading Hegel challenges you to think in different ways. And there's no better place to start then Houlgate's book.

-Brian

a splendid book
Stephen Houlgate has written a marvelous book. It is a clear, well-written intro to one of the most complex thinkers ever.
First Houlgate gives an explanation of Hegel's basic aims and presuppositions and evaluates them, one by one. Then comes the text of the beginning of Hegel's "Logic" - both in German and English - and the discussion of it.
Houlgate's book surely makes Hegel's philosophy less frightening! I'd recommend it, along with Burbidge's "The Logic of Hegel's Logic", as an ideal starting point for anyone struggling to understand Hegel's thought. ... Read more

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This collection of newly comissioned essays by international contributors offers a representative overview of the most important developments in contemporary philosophical logic.

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This introductory level text carries the conviction that logic is the most important course that college students take. The Power of Logic provides balanced coverage of informal logic, traditional categorical logic, and modern symbolic logic, while its companion online supplement, Logic Tutor, offers a wealth of applications for the concepts discussed. Layman’s direct and accessible writing style, along with his plentiful examples and imaginative exercises, make this the best text for today's logic classes. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Power of Logic
Service was very good, delivery time was short and the book was in very good condition

An Excellent Introductory Text
A while back, I had used this text for a course in Logic. The best thing about it was that the material was explained and illustrated so well that one can learn from this book without going to the classroom!

This doesn't mean that someone should just read and move on; the problems given in this text are still critical to understanding and applying Logic. There's even an answer key for some of the problems, so one can check their own work!

In addition, the skills that one can develop using this text are also transferrable - especially for those that are learning Programming.

All in all, I'd recommend this text for anybody who needs an understanding of Logic, whether it be for a class or a profession. If one has an interest in more advanced concepts of Logic (e.g. - Counterfactuals), however, this book is not for you.

Full of errors - poor book
I absolutely hated this book.It was the textbook for a "symbolic logic" class - although it was extremely subjective and not logical at all.The book is full of errors and is faulty in its reasoning in some of the problems.I hated this book as well as the class - I expected a logic class to be logical and not subjective.If you have knowledge about a topic, it is frustrating when the authors are narrow minded and think they have the answer when you know their reasoning is faulty and incorrect.

If you have a choice between a math class and a logic class (especially using this book) - choose the math class.I did get an very good grade in spite of the book - a 3.9 --- although the class average was 1.85 (on a 4.0 scale) and it was the lowest grade I received while working on the degree I just finished.

To the authors: It can be raining and the ground can be dry.It is called virga - where rain evaporates before it reaches the ground.Your saying the ground must be wet if it is raining and using that for aexample sentence throughout the book is a major error.

If you have to take a class in this, kill yourself.
Let me start by saying I received an A in the class. I wasn't too dim to understand the material, so this isn't whining from a bruised ego.Logic sounds cool.It isn't!I don't know if it's possible to make logic logical or not, but this book is a collection of poorly explained utter nonsense.Logic seems to combine the worst aspects of algebra and philosophy into one poorly organized discipline. This book doesn't help.It introduces ill conceived and vague concepts in a manner that seems to revel in their obscurity.It's like reading a review of the unix programming language from the guy that created unix.There are probably 8 people on Earth that would dig it, the rest... not so much.

Probability is the Very Guide of Life
This is *such* a good book.When I reviewed the MS for the publisher, the copy I had included a chapter on modal logic which did not make it into the First Edition.I hope it makes it into later additions.Being a thoroughgoing probablist, I especially appreciated the chapter on probability theory.Given the widespread use of probability theory in contemporary analytic philosophy, there's almost no excuse for a philosophy program to use any other book for philosophy majors (except, of course, _Socratic Logic_). ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (25)

Really? This is the future of learning?
What a pretentious mess this is. The content isn't the problem, it's that they attempt to incorporate this pitiful excuse for a software package. The slowdown is incredible considering the app looks like a DDOS window. The level of confusion created by trying to consolidate 3 different programs with 5 different submission methods and a number of other caveats makes for a mind-bending amount of frustration just to submit what could easily be sent by e-mail. Instead, you're forced to navigate through a poorly assembled product in hopes you can submit the homework that you could have finished in half the time without the stress.

Whoever decided to incorporate this sad excuse for "innovation" obviously didn't realize that technology is generally only considered efficient or beneficial when it eases the pain of the methods it is replacing. When things become infinitely more complex, you've officially failed at doing anything beneficial, in fact, you've allowed for detrimental material to be released that complicates a course that doesn't need to be complicated. Well done Stanford, real quality stuff.

Go to place for needed textbooks.
Very pleased with ease of ordering, speedy delivery, perfectly packaged. Better than being wait-listed at campus bookstore or buying "used" item.

had to return for personal reasons
Rated it five stars because it came on time and it was cheaper than the university book store!The class was intense and I dropped it.

Great support for the software
I have just started using this book, so can't comment on the content yet... but, I messed up the cd and could not do the install; I sent a note to the Stanford support team explaining my problem and got same day response and resolution.

Language, Proof, and Logic
Overall, this is not a bad book. In fact, I can see how it can be quite helpful for some. However, I must admit I'm not impressed by this book and would certainly not use it to teach a logic class.

Pro:
This book provides generous background information and explanation to the terms, concepts, rules, methods, etc. contained within. It also comes with a CD-Rom with helpufl information that guides you through the learning process. With this book, it is possible to submit your work to the "gradegrinder" grading service which will give you feedback on the submitted problems (Generally it tells you which line the mistake is made on or the type of mistake made.) It also uses a geometry based program which helps students understand what predicates are and how the function as variable modifiers. This can be quite helpful for the struggling student, students who do not self-check well, and (potentially) students with poor logic teachers. It covers sentential/propositional logic as well as predicate logic.

Con:
Having been exposed to other logic systems, most notibly that used by Allen and Hand in "Logic Primer." ( Logic Primer - 2nd Edition ) I find the system in LPL tedious, time consuming, and unnecessarily difficult. The logical operators were easier to read, to begin with. Most importantly, as one progressed through the text more derrived rules were available for use during proofs. (For people who are not familiar with logic, try to imagine making change with only pennies and ones. You can do it, but it is frustrating and hardly the fastest way. This is what the LPL book is like. "Logic Primer" is like having every denomination between pennies and twenties. - Having more rules is simply having more tools and options to work with.) I also had problems with the software. Answers must be entered near-perfectly and it is not very user friendly. It was difficult to enter commands and find buttons. Even if things were going smoothly it would still make my computer (which runs Windows Vista) crash continuously. My classmates who used Macs had problems, but they were different than those of us who used PCs. Although it requires a good professor, I prefer a more flexible system that allows students to be more creative in their proofs and does not bog them down in tedium.

Lastly, I couldn't stand how the LPL system forced usuers to discharge assumptions in the reverse order from which they were assumed. (A1, A2, A3 must be used in order of A3, A2, A1) It does this by forcing the user to make numerous sub-proofs which, using the other system, could be avoided by simply citing a derived rule. ... Read more

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Wayne Martin traces attempts to develop theories of judgment in British Empiricism, the logical tradition stemming from Kant, nineteenth-century psychologism, recent experimental neuropsychology, and the phenomenological tradition associated with Brentano, Husserl and Heidegger. His reconstruction of vibrant but largely forgotten nineteenth-century debates links Kantian approaches to judgment with twentieth-century phenomenological accounts. He also shows that the psychological, logical and phenomenological dimensions of judgment are not only equally important, but fundamentally interlinked. ... Read more

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Peter Smith introduces the reader to the languages of propositional and predicate logic, and then develops formal systems for evaluating arguments translated into these languages, concentrating on the easily comprehensible "tree" method. His commentary is supplemented with examples and exercises, making the text appropriate for a first logic course. The book will also provide a basis for further research in formal and philosophical logic. ... Read more

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Easy-to-read, visually appealing, and chock full of real-world applications, this most complete and authoritative book on introductory logic fully prepares users to understand, recognize, and apply classical syllogistic logic and the more powerful techniques of modern symbolic logic—explaining all concepts and techniques clearly, accurately, and thoroughly, and bringing them to life using a wealth of real-life examples of lively arguments and explanations drawn from a wide variety of sources to help demonstrate the application of logical principles by serious writers and thinkers trying to solve real problems in a wide range of fields.Includes full chapters on basic logical concepts, the uses of language, definitions, fallacies, categorical propositions, categorical syllogisms, arguments in ordinary language, symbolic logic, methods of deduction, quantification theory, analogy and probable inference, Mill's Methods of experimental inquiry, science and hypothesis, and probability. Reformulates key logical issues, and presents a more detailed account of the concept of logical equivalence, distinguishing it more clearly from the truth-functional connectives. Includes sidebars containing additional, enriching information; many new illustrations taken from contemporary research I the physical and biological science; and a plethora of exercises.For anyone searching for a top-notch, easy-to-understand introduction to logic. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (21)

Will serve you for a lifetime
Absolutely great book. It has served me for a lifetime. And it's fun besides. The logic problems are fun puzzles to work out.

The BEST for a first course in Logic.
This was a standard text when I took a philosophy course many moons ago.At that time I focused mainly on getting through the quizzes and exams.Now that I have some time I re-read this text SLOWLY and it is just plain great.For deductive, inductive and syllogistic areas it is unbeatable.I am told the text is still in use for philosophy courses and no wonder!

If you wish to clean out some of the cobwebs that have sprung up over the years go through this text at a slow pace.An excellent cleaner for the cluttered mind.

Introduction to Logic
I read this book in early 1980.Because of my background in mathematics, I read the language and deduction portion, of my own in just few days.Earlier I had read Morris Cohen & E Nagel's famous book.Treatment of scientific method etc. seemed better in the latter,yet to learn about various aspects of language usage and deductive logic was realy an electrifying experience then .The part on inductive logic is in its own way excellent.I have 2/3 editions of this book and used it when teaching to a class of judicial officers about use of logic in law esp. chapter 15.This is a must for the autodidact.

Elementary, my dear reader...
Logic is not just for Spock; deduction (which, if you read this book, you'll discover is rather different) is not just for Sherlock Holmes.Many if not most students of philosophy over the past 50 years have had their beginning logic training from an edition of this book, 'Introduction to Logic' by Irving M. Copi, now in its eleventh edition, also now with a co-author listed, Carl Cohen.

I first learned logic in a two-semester sequence through the philosophy department at my university from the fifth edition of Copi's text, supplemented by other material from Copi and a few others on symbolic logic.Logic was required of philosophy majors; it was strongly recommended of majors in sciences and mathematics; it was preferred for students in social sciences.Indeed, the principles of logic contained in Copi's text would not be out of place in most any discipline.

This introductory text is also recommended reading for those preparing for major placement examinations, such as the LSAT and the MCAT.Learning how to think, and recognising typical and non-so-typical flaws in argumentation and reasoning are vital in many professions; the applications for law and medicine are fairly clear.

The text is divided into different sections, including Language, Induction, and Deduction.Language issues look at aspects such as definitions, informal fallacies in language, the question of meaning, truth and validity, and how to recognise argument forms.Deduction, what Sherlock Holmes always claims to be engaging, is a method whereby the validity of the premises provide the truth of the conclusion.In fact, Holmes usually engages in Inductive reasoning, including arguments by analogy and establishing probabilities, but not certainties.

This book beyond the introductory chapters on language arguments engages in symbolic logic -- rather like mathematics, it uses non-linguistic tools to work out the framework.The pieces of symbolic logic (fairly standard across the discipline, like mathematics) are introduced in various stages as inductive and deductive reasoning are developed.

Copi and Cohen look at real-life applications, particularly as logic relates to scientific reasoning and social science reasoning.While this is not a mathematics text, it introduces some elements useful in mathematics, particularly in probability and in elements used in statistical reasoning.

This text can be used for self-study, as some of the exercises are worked out in the back.There are also study guides available that have been produced for earlier editions; they are nonetheless useful, as much of the material remains the same from one edition to another.

A great text!

Ideal Text for Self-Study
I bought this book (along with the study guide) and began self-studying the material to improve my logical ability.The book is relatively easy to understand even for novices with no prior training in logic and uses examples that are entertaining and interesting.The answers to select homework questions (about 1/4) are in the back so I would suggest that for self-study, either the study guide (which includes another 1/4) or the complete answer guide should also be purchased.The text itself is very fun to go through and I think Copi and Cohen do an amazing job as teachers. For those planning on taking the LSAT, this book may prove more beneficial than a test prep course if you want to understand the actual reasoning behind the test and not just regurgitate formulaic test-taking strategies. ... Read more

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This is the first complete and comprehensive account of Heidegger's philosophy of logic. There is a tradition of interpreting Heidegger's remarks on logic as an attempt to flout, revise, or eliminate logic, and of thus characterizing Heidegger as an irrationalist. "Heidegger and Logic" looks closely at Heidegger's writings on logic in the "Being and Time" era and argues that Heidegger does not seek to discredit logic, but to determine its scope and explain its foundations. Through a close examination of the relevant texts, Greg Shirley shows that this tradition of interpretation rests on mischaracterizations and false assumptions. What emerges from Heidegger's remarks on logic is an account of intelligibility that is both novel and relevant to issues in contemporary philosophy of logic. Heidegger's views on logic form a coherent whole that is an important part of his larger philosophical project and helps us understand it better, and that constitutes a unique contribution to the philosophy of logic. "Continuum Studies in Continental Philosophy" presents cutting-edge scholarship in the field of modern European thought.The wholly original arguments, perspectives and research findings in titles in this series make it an important and stimulating resource for students and academics from across the discipline. ... Read more

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Noah Lemos defends the common sense tradition--the view that permits us to justify the philosophical inquiry of many of the things we ordinarily think we know. He discusses the main features of this tradition as expounded by Thomas Reid, G.E. Moore and Roderick Chisholm in a text that will appeal to students and philosophers in epistemology and ethics. ... Read more

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During the first 75 years of the twentieth century almost all work in the philosophy of mathematics concerned foundational questions. In the last quarter of the century, philosophers of mathematics began to return to basic questions concerning the philosophy of mathematics such as, what is the nature of mathematical knowledge and of mathematical objects, and how is mathematics related to science? Two new schools of philosophy of mathematics, social constructivism and structuralism, were added to the four traditional views (formalism, intuitionalism, logicism, and platonism). The advent of the computer led to proofs and the development of mathematics assisted by computer, and to questions of the role of the computer in mathematics.

This book of 16 essays, all written specifically for this volume, is the first to explore this range of new developments in a language accessible to mathematicians. Approximately half the essays were written by mathematicians, and consider questions that philosophers are not yet discussing. The other half, written by philsophers of mathematics, summarize the discussion in that community during the last 35 years. In each case, a connection is made to issues relevant to the teach of mathematics. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Is proof a dilemma?
The following is quoted from a review by John Corcoran to appear in Mathematical Reviews.
This volume is in the Mathematical Association of America's Spectrum Series, which is intended to "appeal to a broad range of readers, including students and teachers of mathematics, mathematical amateurs, and researchers". Its sixteen chapters are individual essays each written by a different author. The authors are said to be "leading mathematicians, mathematics educators, and philosophers of mathematics". It also includes a 20-page introduction by one of the editors. The seventeen essays are intended to be "a sampler of current topics in philosophy of mathematics"; the essays by philosophers are said to "provide a much gentler introduction to what philosophers have been discussing over the last 30 years than will be found in a typical book". This should not be taken to mean that these essays give a summary or overview of the last 30 years of philosophy of mathematics. The book also includes a glossary of the "more common philosophical terms (such as epistemology, ontology, etc.)". The content of the book fully justifies the subtitle "Mathematics and Philosophy"; but nothing seems to explain the implication in the main title "Proof and other Dilemmas" that proof is a dilemma, nor is there anything to indicate which "other dilemmas" are intended.
Unfortunately, there are no indexes. There is no easy way to see how the terms in the glossary are actually used in the book or to compare different authors on the same issue or topic. For example, an index would reveal that the realist philosophy of mathematics called "platonism" is widely accepted--both as "the default position among philosophers" (pages xv and 179) and as the view "still dominant among working mathematicians" (page 40); but an index would also reveal that platonism is widely rejected--by leading mathematicians Paul Cohen and Saunders Mac Lane, and also by "most of the famous mathematicians who have expressed themselves on the question" (page 140).An index would greatly improve the usefulness of the book: it would prevent many misleading impressions.
The glossary is neither well-written nor accurate: for example, existential import is confused with ontological commitment, token is confused with occurrence, entailment is confused with implication, and there is no hint of awareness of the multiple meanings that have been attached to the word `implication' and its cognates--to mention a small selection from the 30 entries. Any reader new to philosophy of mathematics is advised to ignore the glossary and to rely instead on one of the several excellent philosophy dictionaries made by philosophers. One favorite is the 1999 Cambridge Dictionary of Philosophy.
The first three essays concern the focus in the title of the book: proof, as in "demonstrative proof" as opposed to "proof theory". All three are subjectivist in that they emphasize subjective belief or "conviction" while ignoring objective cognition--the idea that a proof proves a proposition to be true: a proof produces knowledge in the strict sense, not just persuasion. Moreover, there is no reference to the traditional "truth-and-consequence" conception of proof: that a proposition is proved to be true by showing that it is a logical consequence of known truths, i. e. by deducing the conclusion from established premises--leaving no room for pictures, constructions, diagrams, analogue or digital devices, or anything other than deductive reasoning once the premises have been taken.
Overall the book is not easy to read or easy to use. There are however some generally excellent articles--those by Michael Detlefsen, Stewart Shapiro, and Julian Cole stand out--but even these are heavy going, even for someone familiar with previous writings by the same author. Moreover, in almost every essay there are scattered passages containing informative scholarship, useful insights, and interesting and provocative points.
... Read more

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Logic With Trees is a new and original introduction to modern formal logic. Unlike most texts, it also contains discussions on more philosophical issues such as truth,conditionals and modal logic. It presents the formal material with clarity, preferring informal explanations and arguments to intimidatingly rigorous development. Worked examples and excercises enable the readers to check their progress. Logic With Trees equips students with * a complete and clear account of the truth-tree system for first order logic * theimportance of logic and its relevance to many different disciplines * the skills to grasp sophisticated formal reasoning techniques necessary to explore complex metalogic * the ability to contest claims that ordinary' reasoning is well represented by formal first order logic The issues covered include a thorough discussion of truth-functional and full firstorder logic, using the truth-tree or semantic tableau approach. Completeness and Soundness proofs are given for both truth-functional and first order trees. Much use is made of induction, which is presented in a clear and consistent manner.There is also discussion of alternative deductive systems, an introduction to transfinite numbers and categoricity, the Lowenhein-Skolem theories and the celebrated findings of Godel and Church. The book concludes with an accountof Kripke's attempted solution of the liar paradox and a discussion of the weakness of truth-functional account of conditionals. Particularly useful to those who favour critical accounts of formal reasoning, it will be of interest to students of philosophy at first level and beyond and also students of mathematics and computer science. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A nice introductory logic text book
I studied this book as college-level introductary logic course textbook.

The book is not hard to understand except for the last two chapters, which try to deal with somehow advanced topics, but not very clearly.

But the rest of the book is nicely written overall(although it has a few mistypings)

And I want to point out that this textbook is basically not written in mathematics style. It doesn't contain many equations and theorems as in mathematics textbooks, instead it explains things in written English.

Does the job, but not for the beginner (like me)
The book covers basic truth-functional logic and first-order logic as well as a introduction to some of the more hairy theorems like Gödels and Fermats.However it seems clear to me that it is intended primarily as asource to provide a theorethical understanding, rather than a tool to solvelogic problems. That's probably all well and good for some, but for me (andthe rest of my class at the Roskilde University Center, Denmark) who firstof all wanted to "get the technique down", it proved to besomewhat lacking. Often I found myself browsing back and forth to find thisor that rule, since the book does very little to provide summaries andoverviews of the basic syntax and rules of its subject(s).

In short, badbalance between explanations (text) and actual technique (tables andoverviews covering syntax and rules) for a book claiming to be aintroduction to logic.

Oh, and seriously lacking in the hardestdepartment of logic: formalisation of natural language. Just a handful ofbasic rules and then a ton of symbolic examples.

In all fairness it mustbe said though, that the author obviously is passionate about his subjectand if you "know the drill" and want to know WHY it works like itdoes, this book will do the trick. So maybe I've just been using the wrongtool for the job... ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (1)

Do not get the kindle edition
I first bought the kindle edition of this book for a class I have this semester.I ended up buying the paperback due to formating issues on some symbols (such as the symbol for inference).This makes the book basically unusable on kindle, especially for a student since guessing at which symbol ought to be in the missing place is probably not wise. ... Read more

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Logical Forms explains both the detailed problems involved in finding logical forms and also the theoretical underpinnings of philosophical logic. In this revised edition, exercises are integrated throughout the book. The result is a genuinely interactive introduction which engages the reader in developing the argument. Each chapter concludes with updated notes to guide further reading. ... Read more

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This new and expanded edition of The Logic of Real Arguments explains a distinctive method for analysing and evaluating arguments. It discusses many examples, ranging from newspaper articles to extracts from classic texts, and from easy passages to much more difficult ones. It shows students how to use the question 'What argument or evidence would justify me in believing P?', and also how to deal with suppositional arguments beginning with the phrase 'Suppose that X were the case.' It aims to help students to think critically about the kind of sustained, theoretical arguments which they commonly encounter in the course of their studies, including arguments about the natural world, about society, about policy, and about philosophy. It will be valuable for students and their teachers in a wide range of disciplines including philosophy, law and the social sciences. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Where is the Logic?
There is not much logic in this book. The author picked several social and economical thesis he personally loves or hates, and supports and attacks them under the guise of logical analysis.

The first example is from Thomas Malthus. The author destroy Malthus' arguments by showing how the premises *could* be wrong. That seems to be a really easy job, but the author find it necessary to quote Engels 3 times to corroborate himself. In the end, he suggests that, this thesis is wrong, because it has "always been welcome in the battle of the rich against the poor". The last word is "We can hardly leave this subject without also noting that Malthus always strongly opposed contraception. Such is the logic of man!"

I had to recheck the title of the book, and make sure it's about logic.

Now, if the author applies the same stringent standard to later examples, at least he would be consistent. No social and economical arguments could withstand. But that's not the case in this book. For example the author's verdict on Marx's argument is "Marx's reasoning is hard to fault *however we construe it* and that is partly what makes it a fascinating nugget of reasoning". The author arrived to that conclusion after only 2 pages of analysis, which is apparently enough to cover all ways to construe it.

The Logic of real arguments
I've bought this book after reading Alec Fisher's "Critical thinking" which i liked very much. "The Logic..." is not an easy reading for me as it requires a lot of thinking about philosophical issues but very useful as it teaches how to tackle long and difficult arguments. I believe that is the main purpose of the book and if someone likes that sort of reading then this book is a good choice.

Bridging Logical and Real Arguments
The book starts with a beautiful argument from Galileo's Two New Sciences (refuting Aristotelian belief on the influence of gravity on bodies of different weight). This is what makes this book far beyond the ordinary: it contains a wealth of instructive examples about the natural world, aboutsociety, about policy, about philosophy, and so on.These are not theusual made-up examples, but REAL ARGUMENTS: ranging from numerous samplesof scientific argumentation to some more mundane arguments from newspapers. The author further introduces an informal method for analyzing (extractingand evaluating) arguments as they occur in ordinary language texts.Thebook not only offers an accessible introduction to critical analysis oftheoretical argumentation occurring in informal texts.It is also ofinterest for logicians who want to have a better understanding of theconsiderations involved in analyzing unformalized arguments.Thisamounts, in my opinion, to a successful marriage between the insights fromlogic and the demands from reasoning patterns as they occur in substantivetexts. ... Read more

Product Description

This comprehensive introduction presents the fundamentals of symbolic logic clearly, systematically, and in a straightforward style accessible to readers. Each chapter, or unit, is divided into easily comprehended small “bites” that enable learners to master the material step-by-step, rather than being overwhelmed by masses of information covered too quickly. The book provides extremely detailed explanations of procedures and techniques, and was written in the conviction that anyone can thoroughly master its content. A four-part organization covers sentential logic, monadic predicate logic, relational predicate logic, and extra credit units that glimpse into alternative methods of logic and more advanced topics. For individuals interested in the formal study of logic.

Customer Reviews (11)

Oh Logic...
I ordered this book for a college Logic class, and it hasn't disappointed. There's no getting around the somewhat boring text in this book, even though it is flavored by some humorous logic scenarios. But, I fault my lack of interest in the subject, and not the book itself. I've learned a lot from the class, and the book is essential.

It arrived in great condition, even though I ordered it used, and it had a speedy delivery.

Excellent textbook
I really like this book. It's an excellent undergraduate introduction to logic for non-mathematicians. It's not dumbed down in any way. It's rigorous. The exercises are challenging and plentiful. Most importantly, it explains the basic concepts and tools of symbolic logic in a clear, unpretentious manner. (The 5th edition corrects the mistakes of the 4th.)

By comparison, Copi seems unfocused and flabby; Bergmann & Moor comes off as unnecessarily muscular given the level of the material.

An excellent choice.

Has its ups and downs...
This is a decent textbook. The third edition (this edition) is almost EXACTLY identical to the fourth edition, all the exercises are the same, the only difference being the page numbers. Despite being overly wordy in more places than one (see: Unit 1-26, i.e. the whole book...) some of the examples and exercises can be rather amusing. It may seem like an overwhelming amount of material at first, but if you stick with it, it really isn't that difficult. As long as you take it slowly, and your instructor is able to explain things in simpler terms than the book, you'll do just fine.

Excellent Start in Logical Studies
This book is the best introduction to logic on the market.Others have made this clear--incuding professors of logic (of both the philosophical and mathematical sort).The reason why I am writing this is because I was flabbergasted to read a couple of the reviews of this book that appear on this website. Anyone that rates this book under four stars was perhaps unsuccessful in logic, tried to blame their lack of ability on Klenk's wonderful text, and didn't have enough ability to begin logic anyway.Logic is difficult.However, this book is completely readable, assuming the one reading it is careful.People that want to be more spoon-fed than how this book attempts, should not begin the topic.

Better than most logic books out there!
After attempting an intro to symbolic logic course using the text, "The Logic Book", this other text "Understanding Symbolic Logic" was a godsend! It is very useful and easily understood. I really hope that professors require this as the primary text for their course. Perhaps, if this book is used rather than "The Logic Book", then maybe students will actually pass the course!!!! ... Read more

Product Description

Philosophy of Probability: Contemporary Readings is the first anthology to collect essential readings in this important area of philosophy. Featuring the work of leading philosophers in the field such as Carnap, Hájek, Jeffrey, Joyce, Lewis, Loewer, Popper, Ramsey, van Fraassen, von Mises, and many others, the book looks in depth at the following key topics:

• subjective probability and credence
• probability updating: conditionalization and reflection
• Bayesian confirmation theory
• classical, logical, and evidential probability
• frequentism
• physical probability: propensities and objective chances.

The book features a useful primer on the mathematics of probability, and each section includes an introduction by the editor, as well as a guide to further reading. A broad-ranging and highly accessible exploration of the subject, Philosophy of Probability is ideal for any student of formal epistemology, philosophy of science, metaphysics, or philosophy of mathematics.

Product Description
Dedicated to the memory of Irving M. Copi, the twelfth edition of Introduction to Logic retains its breadth of coverage, while breaking new ground with a compelling new design and inclusion of new pedagogic features to help students in their study of logic. This new edition goes further than any previous edition-or competing logic text-in assisting students with their mastery of logic!NEW to Introduction to Logic, Twelfth Edition!*New material-Additional coverage of conditional proofs; new category for fallacies of defective induction; separated treatment of classic syllogistic logic and modern symbolic logic *"VISUAL LOGIC" feature-Clear and vivid illustrations provided to clarify challenging logic topics *Marginal definitions-Helps students define terms while reading *Summary tables-Over 30 "OVERVIEWS" to help students review material at a glance *New student supplemet-Available to package with new texts, LogicNotes with Practice Problems provides a Notebook with numerous practice problems and solutions (Package ISBN: 013-163729-0) eLogic-Prentice Hall's new CD-ROM-based logic tutorialPrentice Hall has revised its tutorial to provide students with over 800 exercises, drawn from the text, plus the tools students need to solve logic problems. Students can work problems, including diagramming arguments, creating Venn diagrams, constructing truth tables. And now students can build and check proofs! See the walk-through in this book or visit www.prenhall.com/philosophy for more information! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

Disappointment
I ordered a used book that I plan on using my first semester of college. I read the description of the book written by the seller and it said that only the cover had damage and that the pages had not been written in or highlighted. I was very disappointed once I opened the book and found that it in face had been written in and highlighted in. The cover had more than slight damage and the spine was in horrific condition. I will probably end up taping the spine of the book just so it can last me until the end of the semester. Not happy with the way it was described- the book isn't like the way it was described.

Copi's Logic textbook is a keeper
I am extremely impressed with Copi's "Introduction to Logic". It is easy to read, very well written, and expertly explained. It's also well organized with exercises following each section, so you can easily master one concept at a time. Copi's writing is so clear and thorough, he makes this sometimes opaque subject quite accessible and understandable.

Helpful
The delivery time was great for this book.I wasn't too sure what to expect but when I received the book it was in really good shape.The content though is what I needed and it was helpful and made my understanding throughout my philosophy class much easier.Good book if you're looking for something to help you grasp logic.

A Logical Choice!
An excellent textbook for becoming acquainted with the basics of of logical thought.Highly recommended for students or teachers!

Overrated
This book hasn't 'stood the test of time'. It's simply been re-issued by the publishers a dozen times so as to force students to buy new copies and make them more money.

The book itself is poor. Yet, for some reason, in my experience, it's the textbook of choice at colleges that think of their students as not smart enough for a 'real' logic book like the Bergmann and Moor. This is actually a disservice (not to mention a subtle insult) to students. I've been forced to use the Copi and found that students get bogged down in irrelevancies and never quite get a clear sense of how logic works.The book spends far too much time being 'erudite' at the cost of what really matters: clarity and accuracy. It also covers topics that no real logic professor or beginning student should be worrying about - notably, Aristotle's syllogisms. (If you really want to understand those, read the last chapter of Logic as Algebra. Otherwise stop torturing yourself and learn the basics.)

There are much better-written introductions to elementary symbolic logic out there. I mentioned one already. Here's another one that students seem to find intuitive and helpful: Understanding Symbolic Logic (5th Edition). ... Read more

Product Description
A witty assault on lame rhetoric, specious logic,and official BS

Here's a fast-paced, ruthlessly funny romp through the mulligan stew of illogic, unreason, and just plain drivel served up daily in the media by pundits, psychics, ad agencies, New Age gurus, statisticians, free trade ideologues, business "thinkers," and, of course, politicians. Award-winning young philosopher Jamie Whyte applies his laser-like wit to dozens of timely examples in order to deconstruct the rhetoric and cut through the haze of shibboleth and doubletalk to get at the real issues.

A troubleshooting guide to both public and private discourse, Crimes Against Logic:

Customer Reviews (131)

All Emotion, Logical Errors Abound
This book starts out with some logical problems, then it seems to grow as the book goes on.

First, he says you don't have a right to your own opinion, which you really do. He confuses tastes with facts and blinded ignores the differences.

Most frustrating is his attack on using motives as a way of telling whether someone is possibly right or wrong. He says it should make no difference. In reality, knowing a motive helps us to understand how someone came to say or act how they do. Usually, though not always, someone acting with pure motives will be acting better then someone who does not. This is obviously not a sure fire approach, but should be added into consideration.

Finally, his attacks on religion seem to be nothing but silly. He says religious people have no evidence to back up their faith, and therefore they really don't believe it. He then goes on about Quantum Mechanics and tries to equate the two somehow. It seems he is attacking a single strange individual he once met, not the majority of believers of any faith.

Overall, this book simply has lots of emotion, and not much clean logic to attach to.

P.S.:He mentions his sisters Thighs aren't fat. I thought there was no such thing as an opinion, so how does he come to that "factual" conclusion?

Disappointingly illogical
I ordered this book with a great deal of hope.Yes, I am one who rants against misstatement, misuse of English, irrationality and deception by omission.Unfortunately, Mr Whyte fails his own test in applying logic.

In his chapter on "Motives", the Mr Whyte suggests that in reporting on a study by a think tank, the fact that journalists report that the authors are "right wing" is irrelevant to the authors' findings.He fails to recognise that knowing someone's history tells us something about them and the perspective in which they view the world.This happens to be of some importance in the social sciences where, despite Jamie Whyte's best endeavours, there is not necessarily just one "right" answer.In this particular example, one would find the think tank's report remarkable and worth investigating if it went against the think tank's preconceived ideas - otherwise it's just more noise in an already noisy political environment.

The book continues in such a vein.As mentioned by another reviewer, its discussion of Pascal's Gambit starts promisingly but ends most disappointingly.Very simply, even given an infinite number of religions as proposed by the author, the person who believes one of them (even if they believe that the Universe is run by a small duck named Egbert) has one chance in that infinity of being right where the person who believes nothing has no chance.

One final comment - Whyte fails to recognise that in some cases when people state that "it is obvious" they are not necessarily trying to hide the weakness of their argument.He should perhaps find it obvious, as a lecturer and philosopher, that this phrase is also used as a put-down to suggest that people are perhaps not quite as smart as they may think.

I like to finish a book once I've started, but the author's failure to live up to the promise of his title makes that highly unlikely in this case.

just read it
The book has some unnecessary pedantry, but the arguments presented are flawless - the problem lies a step before. The author "forgets" that logic is simply a method of inference based on hypothesis it doesn't convey. Logic doesn't warrant the existence of a truth to be found through logic nor does it assure that reality itself is logic. These are hypothesis the author works with but doesn't tell us, he just takes them as unquestionable. That said, feel free to disagree with any conclusion the author presents regarding religion. In any case, just read the book.

Great, however....
A great treatise on the ways people and organizations use to persuade, dissuade, confuse, and otherwise hide true reasoned discourse.However, this is appears to be a word for word reprint of "Bad Thoughts - a Guide to Clear Thinking" with a shiny new title.Don't do like I did and get this book because you were so enamored with the author's original points that you wanted more....

Brilliant Illustrations of Rational Thinking (and lack thereof)
If Crimes Against Logic was mandatory reading in schools the populace would surely be better for it.The book encompasses a comprehensive overview of rational thinking complete with examples of fallacies, innumeracy, and plain stupidly that is so abundant in all areas of life.

It is surprising that the ability to reason properly doesn't garner more interest given that it represents a prime element of what separates humans from all other animals.Jamie Whyte illustrates repeatedly how most peopleignore proper modes of thought and often act as if a rational basis did not even exist; an absurd yet depressingly true observation.

Whyte is witty, humorous, and thoroughly clear making this book effective and easy to read.You will never look at news, advertisements, business, and even normal conversations the same way again, and you will be better for it.
... Read more