(P/B) AN INTRODUCTION TO FORMAL LOGIC

Παρουσίαση

Formal logic provides us with a powerful set of techniques for criticizing some arguments and showing others to be valid. These techniques are relevant to all of us with an interest in being skilful and accurate reasoners. In this highly accessible book, Peter Smith presents a guide to the fundamental aims and basic elements of formal logic. He introduces the reader to the languages of propositional and predicate logic, and then develops formal systems for evaluating arguments translated into these languages, concentrating on the easily comprehensible 'tree' method. His discussion is richly illustrated with worked examples and exercises. A distinctive feature is that, alongside the formal work, there is illuminating philosophical commentary. This book will make an ideal text for a first logic course, and will provide a firm basis for further work in formal and philosophical logic. (From the publisher)

Περιεχόμενα

1. What is logic?
2. Validity and soundness
3. Patterns of inference
4. The counterexample technique
5. Proofs
6. Validity and arguments
7. Three propositional connectives
8. The syntax of PL
9. The semantics of PL
10. 'A's and 'B's, 'P's and 'Q's
11. Truth functions
12. Tautologies
13. Tautological entailment
14. PLC and the material conditional
15. More on the material conditional
16. Introducing PL trees
17. Rules for PL trees
18. PLC trees
19. PL trees vindicated
20. Trees and proofs
21. Quantifiers
22. QL introduced
23. QL explored
24. More QL translations
25. Introducing QL trees
26. The syntax of QL
27. Q-valuations
28. Q-validity
29. More on QL trees
30. QL trees vindicated
31. Extensionality
32. Identity
33. The language QL=
34. Descriptions and existence
35. Trees for identity
36. Functions.