Logic Primer

by Colin Allen, Michael Hand

This text presents a self-contained introduction to logic suitable for majors and nonmajors, and can be covered entirely in a one-semester course. Natural deduction systems of sentential logic and of first-order logic, truth tables, and the basic ideas of model theory are presented without superfluous discussion. This allows the instructor to choose various ways of presenting the material. The text is organized into definitions, comments, examples, and exercises in a modern, visually helpful format. Comments are kept to a minimum so that definitions and examples are usually on the same page, making it easy for students to compare the two. In addition, there are over 500 exercises, with solutions to more than half of them provided in an appendix.

Logic Primer differs from existing texts in several important ways. The proofs are shorter and more elegant. The rules of proof are stated in terms of denials of sentences rather than negations; this results in more intuitive rules that students learn more quickly. Most important pedagogically, the authors' natural deduction systems explicitly track the assumptions on which each step in a proof depends.

Colin Allen is Assistant Professor of Philosophy and Michael Hand is Associate Professor of Philosophy, both at Texas A&M University.

Genres: Philosophy, Logic, Nonfiction

188 pages, Paperback

First published August 12, 1992

Reviews

[یاسر میردامادی · Rating 3 out of 5]

کتاب‌های مقدماتی‌ای که در انگلیسی برای آموزش منطق (گزاره و محمولات) نوشته می‌شود عموما بسیار مفصل اند. مثلا این‌که چنین کتاب‌هایی پانصد صفحه باشند، اصلا عجیب نیست. این کتاب (که اکنون ویراست سوم آن بیرون آمده اما من ویراست دوم آن را خواندم) کتابی است مختصر (اصل آن حدود صد صفحه است) که طوری نوشته شده که خودآموز نباشد بلکه با استاد خوانده شود لذا طول و تفصل ندارد و کدوار بیان کرده است.

[Dmitry Mikhaylov · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is good enough to get familiar with the basics of formal logic. Not enough good to fall in love with it. It's true that it has lots of exercises and the keys are helpful, however sometimes it takes googling to understand the material because it's intended to be used only as a suplement to an instructor led course.
My only takeaway from the book is the formal language of sentential propositions.
I don't think I will be able to make use of it in real life.
As for the rules of proof and truth tables, I couldn't find enough motivation and reason to spend a few weeks to learn this just to forget about it in the next few weeks.

[Juliana Steele · Rating 3 out of 5]

Used for an introductory philosophy course. The practice sections were very useful but I found this type of philosophical understanding difficult to comprehend.

[Stefanos Baziotis · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great introduction to logic through a "do, don't tell" approach.

[J. · Rating 3 out of 5]

I always aim to order a text that provides a ‘straight’ version of introductory logic, even as I push against it and riff off of it. At first glance, this text seemed promising for that purpose. It’s extremely short and explicitly designed to be supplemented by conversation.

I don’t even mind the constant reassurances that each step is easy—no problem, no remainder, nothing thought-provoking. I can simply poke fun at these moments and introduce the problems myself.

But at this point, I don’t see how to use this as a primary text in a first logic course, or even as a reference tool, without introducing unnecessary confusion—confusion that we would then have to waste time dispelling. I don’t want to spend valuable in-person time compensating for what’s needlessly awkward—often, it seems, because the drive for concision is either pushed one step too far or applied inconsistently.

Of course, there is no single ideal formal system for an introduction to logic, not even a single ideal system of natural deduction—just as there is no single ideal programming language.

And to be fair, the design innovations here are interesting, in retrospect—for someone who already understands not just the logical technique but also some of the philosophical issues driving these choices. It would be valuable to take a natural system of natural deduction and show, in a second step on the way to a third, that these modifications can be made. But doing so presupposes both a technical grounding and a motivation—neither of which this text is likely to help students acquire. The latter (motivation) can be supplemented with commentary and resistance. The former (technical grounding) is harder to make up for without - another straight text to come to the rescue of this one.

My view is extremely revisable.

[Gabriel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Extremely great fun

[Dan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short book covering logic essentials and has many problems to solve.