Product Description

The aim of this book is to provide an exposition of elementary formal logic. The course, which is primarily intended for first-year students who have no previous knowledge of the subject, forms a working basis for more advanced reading and is presented in such a way as to be intelligible to the layman. The nature of logic is examined with the gradual introduction of worked samples showing how to distinguish the sound statement from the unsound. Arguments whose soundness cannot be proved by propositional calculus are discussed, and it is shown how formalization can reveal the logical form of arguments. The final section of the book deals with the application of the predicate calculus as applied in various other fields of logic.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #612293 in Books
• Published on: 1971-09-30
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 240 pages

From the Back Cover
The aim of this book is to provide an exposition of elementary formal logic. The course, which is primarily intended for first-year students who have no previous knowledge of the subject, forms a working basis for more advanced reading and is presented in such a way as to be intelligible to the layman. The nature of logic is examined with the gradual introduction of worked samples showing how to distinguish the sound statement from the unsound. Arguments whose soundness cannot be proved by propositional calculus are discussed, and it is shown how formalization can reveal the logical form of arguments. The final section of the book deals with the application of the predicate calculus as applied in various other fields of logic.

Customer Reviews

Not to be read dry
I'm a first year student with no prior knowledge of logic, so by the description, this book should be perfect for me. Far from it. I've hardly used it yet this year, and would not recommend buying it for the joy of it.

Even after understanding lectures, I find it difficult to understand exactly what Lemmon is trying to explain. The language is perhaps too complex and too highbrow.

Having said that, there are plenty of exercises for you to work through, and this is how I've used it mostly.

All in all, think twice before you buy it.

Dry, concise classic
Just to offer an alternative to the previous review: this is a classic introduction to logic. It's precise, clear, and can take the committed reader from a standing start to some quite complex issues, offering plenty of practical exercises along the way. What it isn't is fluffy or padded. Lemmon does not waste words, and the overall effect is more like a maths textbook than like a work in the humanities. So, if you're looking for storytelling and friendliness in an introduction to logic, then avoid this book (try Paul Tomassi's Logic instead). But if you'd prefer a tight, problem-driven, demanding learning experience, try it. I learned logic from this book when I was an undergraduate. I'm now a philosophy lecturer.