Logic Primer - 2nd Edition - Softcover

Allen, Colin; Hand, Michael

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0262511266 ISBN 13: 9780262511261

Publisher: Bradford Books, 2001

Synopsis

Logic Primer presents a rigorous introduction to natural deduction systems of sentential and first-order logic.

Logic Primer presents a rigorous introduction to natural deduction systems of sentential and first-order logic. The text is designed to foster the student-instructor relationship. The key concepts are laid out in concise definitions and comments, with the expectation that the instructor will elaborate upon them. New to the second edition is the addition of material on the logic of identity in chapters 3 and 4. An innovative interactive Web site, consisting of a "Logic Daemon" and a "Quizmaster," encourages students to formulate their own proofs and links them to appropriate explanations in the book.

About this title

About the Author

Colin Allen is Professor of Philosophy at Texas A&M University. He is the coauthor of Nature's Purposes (MIT Press, 1998), Species of Mind (MIT Press, 1997), and The Cognitive Animal (MIT Press, 2001).

Review

Logic Primer is an excellent textbook: wonderfully concise, clear, and rich. I recommend it highly for introductory courses in formal logic. And the web-based software is state-of-the-art.

―Torin Alter, Department of Philosophy, The University of Alabama

By far the smoothest running natural deduction system that I have seen in 28 years of teaching logic. The proof checker website and the low cost of the text make Logic Primer the first choice!

―Jonathan Gold, West Liberty State College

I am very pleased to see that Logic Primer is coming out in a second edition. I have used the first edition to great effect in turning my classes into learning communities of careful readers. The new material on identity, and the revisions to previous material, are well motivated and will be helpful. The key virtue of the book, however, is its clear, direct, and intelligibly sequenced presentation of logic. I look forward to being able to continue to build my course around the structure provided by Logic Primer.

―William S. Robinson, Professor of Philosophy, Iowa State University

This is clearly and efficiently written little text. The emphasis throughout is on essentials (definitions, statements of rules and exercises) and this is interrupted with a minimum of commentary and discussion. This makes for focused reading which keeps the reader's mind concentrated on the subject at hand. Being spare in commentary and discussion, it will stay out of the way of the instructor while also encouraging students to come to lectures instead of relying exclusively on the book.

―Michael Detlefseu, Professor of Philosophy, University of Notre Dame

What makes Logic Primer a uniquely valuable text is not that it contains everything you need for an introductory logic course (which, of course, it does), but that it contains nothing more. While providing students with a clear and comprehensive yet streamlined presentation of first-order logic, it allows instructors the freedom to tailor the structure and pace of the course to fit their own pedagogical goals. Moreover, the natural deduction system is elegant, intuitive, and free of various unnecessary procedures that, though common in other systmes, tend to make derivations difficult for students to grasp.

―Amy Kind, Department of Philosophy, Claremont McKenna College

Edition details

• Publisher: Bradford Books
• Publication date: 2001
• ISBN 10: 0262511266
• ISBN 13: 9780262511261
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 216