Free Downloads Logic Made Easy: How To Know When Language Deceives You
"The best introduction to logic you will find."―Martin Gardner "Professor Bennett entertains as she instructs," writes Publishers Weekly about the penetrating yet practical Logic Made Easy. This brilliantly clear and gratifyingly concise treatment of the ancient Greek discipline identifies the illogical in everything from street signs to tax forms. Complete with puzzles you can try yourself, Logic Made Easy invites readers to identify and ultimately remedy logical slips in everyday life. Designed with dozens of visual examples, the book guides you through those hair-raising times when logic is at odds with our language and common sense. Logic Made Easy is indeed one of those rare books that will actually make you a more logical human being. 36 illustrations.
Paperback: 256 pages
Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company; Revised ed. edition (July 17, 2005)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0393326926
ISBN-13: 978-0393326925
Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 0.7 x 8.3 inches
Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (39 customer reviews)
Best Sellers Rank: #146,129 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #61 in Books > Science & Math > Mathematics > Pure Mathematics > Logic #72 in Books > Textbooks > Humanities > Philosophy > Logic #139 in Books > Politics & Social Sciences > Philosophy > Logic & Language
I wish I could say I agreed with this title 100%. As a teacher of math and science, I am always looking for books that can make these subjects a little easier for my students. I am also a big believer in math and science books for the general reader. Unfortunately, I don't think this book qualifies.That is not to say that this is not a good book. For a college student in a logic course, this book is a godsend. It is certainly a clear and concise development of the subject. Indeed, for anyone with a solid background in college level math who is interested in the subject of logic, this book is excellent. It is full of historical background (which I love) and it gives a lot of practical examples in logic, many from standardized exams but also some everyday stuff. And Ms. Bennett does point out many common logical fallacies, which is important.However, when it comes right down to it, this is a book in pure logic. If you're not familiar with the p's and q's of symbolic logic, this is going to be tough going after awhile. By the time we reach the truth tables, the book will seem to be a flurry of variables. The fact is, no general reader is going to make it this far.It's unfortunate, because I can see in places that Ms. Bennett has the ability to write a book about logic that anyone could pick up, read and enjoy. But this is not that book. If you are interested in mathematics and have the background, read this book. Otherwise, this book is not for you.
I really enjoyed this book. I've taken Critical Thinking, Philosophy, and Discrete Math at University but this book clarified ideas to me that I found difficult in formal classes. The book is a friendly, popular version of formal logic. The author presents history, nuances, and examples of logic that we easily misunderstand. Please realize the book is a readable subject of logic and not meant to replace expensive course textbooks. Afterall, look at the difference in price. If you truly love logic as I do, you'll find the book interesting and informative. If you read this book, then you will learn more about logic than you already know.
As a professional LSAT tutor/blogger in NYC, I can say that although it's not explicitly written for test-prep purposes, this book contains several logical reasoning-type questions and reviews several common fallacies. The author is clearly familiar with the LSAT, and this makes the book more relevant for our purposes. I highly recommend reading this because it is clear, full of simple examples, and concise. You can skip the parts on the history of logic.When to read: Before you begin LSAT prep or when you need a break from practice exams.
If you read this book, you'll be sure to understand that 'All S are P' does not imply that 'All P are S.' If you don't read this book, you may understand this anyway. But if you don't understand this, then you must not have read this book (modus tollens!). Most of the book covers basic syllogisms and All/Not/Some/If statements.Throughout the book are a number of logic problems from standardized tests. The book discusses modus ponens and affirming the consequent, and gives an overview of common fallacies, such as begging the question. I would have liked to see more of the latter, however. Bennett further spends many pages addressing the issue of why people are illogical, frequently citing recent research. This is nice, but repetitive. How many times does she have to mention the common problem caused by bringing external knowledge into logical reasoning?I disagree with those who say this book is advanced. It seems simple enough to me. For example, although Bennett mentions Barbara, Celarent, etc., she clearly doesn't think the average reader needs to memorize this. Nor does she spend much time on symbols used in formal logic.
This book is a clear, concise, well-written analysis of many of the most important concepts in modern logic. Probably its greatest virtue is the light it sheds on the numerous logical errors we make in conversation and on paper and on how best to overcome these errors. I would recommend this book as a primer or supplement to introductory and intermediate courses in logic, or as a supplemental LSAT preparation tool.
The study of logic is very different from the logic that we use in our everyday lives, and this book gives a good introduction to the basic rules. It was an easy and fun read (Deborah's writing style is very playful) and gives good historical references and examples using laymen's terms. Deborah deepened my interest and respect for the many logicians before our time such as Aristotle, Lewis Carroll (famous for writing Alice in Wonderland, but whom I was surprised to find was a big logician!), and so on.If you are looking for a book to help specifically prepare you for the logic section of the LSATs, then you might prefer going straight to an LSAT prep book instead. (Only a few examples from standardized tests are listed in this book, but their sole purpose is to help exemplify some theory.) However, if you would like to hear a little bit more on the history behind the theory (and can afford the time), then I highly recommend reading this book. I read this book before starting my studies for the LSATs and it made tackling LSAT problems more fun since now that I knew a little bit about the theory and history, I developed an appreciation for logic-type questions, and could now focus on improving my technique using the LSAT prep books.
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