The Elements of Logic

by Stephen F. Barker

This classic, concise introductory logic text is designed for courses that cover both formal and informal logic. The text covers a broad, traditional range of topics and includes a large number of exercises which pointedly illustrate logical principles. Answers to selected exercises are included in the study guide.

Genres: Philosophy, Logic, Mathematics, Reference

Hardcover

First published January 1, 1965

About the author

Stephen Francis Barker is an American philosopher of mathematics, a professor emeritus of philosophy at Johns Hopkins University and a former faculty member at the University of Southern California, the University of Virginia, and Ohio State University.

Barker did his undergraduate studies at Swarthmore College and earned a doctorate from Harvard University in 1954. While at Harvard, he won the Bechtel Prize in 1951 for his essay, "A Study of Phenomenalism". As a young instructor at the University of Southern California, Harvard awarded him the George Santayana Fellowship for the academic year 1954–55. He joined the Johns Hopkins faculty in 1964.

He has served as a visiting professor at Berkeley, Harvard, and Swarthmore.

Reviews

[Bumbles · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5*s
An excellent overview of propositional calculus and logic. Perhaps the most readable and condensed book on the subject you are likely to get that is not a textbook. It covers everything a university class on logic would cover but goes a little further. The only downside to this book is that there are no solutions for the exercise problems at the end of each section. I was also not a fan of the way that David Hume was portrayed; I think Dr. Barker might have misinterpreted Humes's argument about the problem of induction. Hume did not think there was no utility in induction, he simply noted that inductive conclusions cannot be reasoned apriori, and just because they are confirmed by our observation of repeated similar instances, it does not logically follow that they will necesarily always be the case. However, that is not to say that there is no value in induction. There certainly is: if we consider the extent of the probability of the inductive argument based on historical data, arguments that are reasoned with highly probable premises warrant critical consideration. But, we must recognize that even though this has historically been the case, it does not mean it will always be the case.

[Bobby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book on the basics of logical thinking. Everyone should read this book.

[Anthony O'Connor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Solid classical work. This stuff used to be a part of any general education.
It includes a thorough study of classical syllogistic logic ( Aristotelian ) - a bit of an ugly subject but innovative for its time ( 2300 or so years ago!) and everyone should go through it at least once. Deduction and Induction. Fallacies. Basics of modern symbolic logic. Very basic. But good intro.
Everyone used to know the standard fallacies, a useful map and check on attempts at fallacious reasoning. But now everyone WANTS and INTENDS to reason fallaciously. The goal is to mislead and manipulate, assert themselves etc etc. Truth is irrelevant.
You will recognize some of the common fallacies all too readily.
Ad Hominem. You are a idiot or a coward therefore I must be right.
Ad Baculum. I am right and I will hit you with a stick if you disagree.
Ad Populum. I am right because everybody thinks so. You are just a loser and a misfit. ( see also Ad Hominem ).
Ad Verundiam. I am right because I am the credentialed, authorized authority on this.
All too recognizable. All too human. All mapped out with cool Latin names too.