Adult starting to study logic

[rclemons]

I would like to teach my children logic, but I have never studied logic, except through the school of "hard knocks." Can you reccomend a course that would get me to the point I can instruct my children in at least the basics of logic?

THank you,

Ray

[Martin Cothran]

Just speaking as the author, I have found Copi way too difficult and unsystematic even for freshman college students. The strength of his book is its wealth of examples and that he covers different system of logic. But these strengths can be weaknesses because it is easy to get lost in the confusion.

Although our books were designed originally for middle and high school students, they actually go deeper into the traditional system of logic than even Copi, but more systematically. The methodology is mastery learning and the exercises are accessible and understandable--and prolific enough to master the material.

The biggest difference, however, is that Copi and most other college texts also treat propositional and predicate logic. I don't cover these and use the traditional Aristotelian logic instead simply because the modern systems are mathematical in orientation and we teach logic as a language art. I also disagree with the philosophical assumptions behind the modern systems which derive in large part from the logical positivism of Bertrand Russell and early Wittgenstein.

They are great as a basis for understanding computer language, but they are problematic when it comes to actual human reasoning.

I hope that helps.

[spiland]

I wanted to piggy-back on what Martin said about the books by Memoria Press. When I took an undergraduate logic course, we spent only about a week on categorical syllogisms. The rest of the time was spent doing symbolic and predicate logic, informal fallacies, etc.

After I graduated, I ended up finding the TL I and II books after moving to Louisville. I studied these and actually found that I covered logic in much more detail than I did even at my undergraduate institution. After I finished these books I took a graduate logic course that did a review of categorical syllogisms, and I found that I had a much better grasp of the overall terrain and philosophical underpinnings to Aristotelian logic than did my peers.

I would definitely recommend both Traditional Logic I and II.

Mr. Scott Piland

[mythopoeic]

At what pace would you recommend and adult work through TL I and II?

[sahamamama]

I wanted to piggy-back on what Martin said about the books by Memoria Press. When I took an undergraduate logic course, we spent only about a week on categorical syllogisms. The rest of the time was spent doing symbolic and predicate logic, informal fallacies, etc.

After I graduated, I ended up finding the TL I and II books after moving to Louisville. I studied these and actually found that I covered logic in much more detail than I did even at my undergraduate institution. After I finished these books I took a graduate logic course that did a review of categorical syllogisms, and I found that I had a much better grasp of the overall terrain and philosophical underpinnings to Aristotelian logic than did my peers.

I would definitely recommend both Traditional Logic I and II.

Mr. Scott Piland

Thanks, Scott, for this review of TL 1 & 2 -- they are on my Self-Education schedule for sometime in 2009/10. Hopefully, I will plod my way there! Thanks for explaining the benefits of these courses.