Logic: The Basics is an accessible introduction to several core areas of logic. The first part of the book features a self-contained introduction to the standard topics in classical logic, such as:
- mathematical preliminaries
- propositional logic
- quantified logic (first monadic, then polyadic)
- English and standard 'symbolic translations'
- tableau procedures.
Alongside comprehensive coverage of the standard topics, this thoroughly revised second edition also introduces several philosophically important nonclassical logics, free logics, and modal logics, and gives the reader an idea of how they can take their knowledge further. With its wealth of exercises (solutions available in the encyclopedic online supplement), Logic: The Basics is a useful textbook for courses ranging from the introductory level to the early graduate level, and also as a reference for students and researchers in philosophical logic.
It’s very concise and formal. I enjoyed this a lot, but it’s probably not for someone who’s never seen formal logic before.
I remember first picking it up some years ago and it was hard for me to follow; this time it was a breeze and I learned a number of new things, despite being already familiar with most of classical logic.