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Methods of Logic 4th Edition
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- ISBN-100674571762
- ISBN-13978-0674571761
- Edition4th
- PublisherHarvard University Press
- Publication dateNovember 1, 1982
- LanguageEnglish
- Dimensions6 x 0.86 x 9 inches
- Print length344 pages
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“For a treatment of such modest size, it abounds in exciting ideas, freshness of perspective on old logical and philosophical problems, and in lucid and exact analysis.”―R. J. Trayhern
“It is admirably precise and it is written with a deliciously light touch.”―Joseph S. Ullian
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Product details
- Publisher : Harvard University Press
- Publication date : November 1, 1982
- Edition : 4th
- Language : English
- Print length : 344 pages
- ISBN-10 : 0674571762
- ISBN-13 : 978-0674571761
- Item Weight : 10.4 ounces
- Dimensions : 6 x 0.86 x 9 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #374,773 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #27 in Logic (Books)
- #255 in Philosophy of Logic & Language
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- Reviewed in the United States on April 8, 2009Format: PaperbackVerified PurchaseThis is the best place to start if you want to learn first-order logic: truth functions and quantification theory. Here is why.
Quine is an acknowledge master of symbolic logic.
Quine is the clearest and most coherent writer on logic.
Quine's logic is the most careful and conservative.
By the last I mean the following. Propositional logic, quantification theory, set theory, and mathematics are all different animals. Drawing the line between first-order logic (quantification theory) and set theory allows one to treat the former without the antinomies and other issues plaguing set theory. First order logic has been proven complete, while set theory is not complete. And first-order logic alone is a fascinating and useful tool. One can then tack on set theory as another layer if desired. Yet all other authors I've read fail to make this distinction. I've even read one popular book on "first-order logic" that begins with defining "true" and "false" as members of a set. Why?
This book includes nothing about modal logic, deontic logic, etc. This is a good thing. Begin at the beginning, the foundation. Then if you want to go off onto one of these tangents you'll have a solid base upon which to evaluate these other logics.
Besides all this you'll learn some useful techniques developed by Quine himself such as his Main Method for proving the validity of valid quantificational schema. He'll also teach you alternative methods developed by others.
If you don't understand any of the terms above, don't worry. You will by the time you're done with this book. It is easy to follow for the moderately motivated beginner and rich enough to be of great value to anyone else. And it is a terrific reference.
If you really need something super-basic to get started try Elementary Logic: Revised Edition.
- Reviewed in the United States on July 29, 2016Format: PaperbackVerified PurchaseQuine's 'Methods of Logic' was written in analytical methods. So, you should read this book by analytical methods. In other words, you should consider logical forms of each statement in this book. This book will amazingly enhance your logical skills. If you want to be an analytic philosopher, 'Methods of Logic' is for you.
- Reviewed in the United States on April 26, 2014Format: PaperbackThe more that I read this book, the more I grow to like it. I'm not sure that it is suitable as a first text in logic. But for those who already have some grounding in the subject to the extent of, say, truth tables this is an excellent read.
It is nicely balanced between discussion of the translation of natural language into the formal language of logic, and expositions of procedures for deciding validity or invalidity once this has been done. The logic emerges in four phases, beginning with the logic of truth functions (and, or, not etc.). Next, quantifier logic of monadic (1-place) predicates is developed before moving on to the general quantification theory of polyadic (2 or more-place) predicates. In this way the limits of decidability are made clearer than in most texts. Monadic predicate logic is decidable, and Quine shows us how. Undecidability only sets in with polyadic predicate logic.
The fourth and final phase "Glimpses Beyond" introduces the logic of identity and some formal set theory, carrying us through nicely to the point where logic leaves off and mathematics begins.
Quine's prose is crisp and clear, and at times dryly comical. There are few writers in any field who match the precision and lucidity of his style, and I know of none who are his equal among writers on logic. For anyone who has done a little logic but wants to know more, this is emphatically the book to get.
- Reviewed in the United States on March 7, 2001Format: PaperbackLike any great book, this one could be a bit, though not too much, better. By far and away the most useful element of Quine's book is his treatment of translating ordinary English into logical schemata. I have never seen such a lucid and effective presentation of the task, and I recommend the book very highly to anybody on that account. His presentation of truth-functional and quantificational schemata are solid are simply excellent. The book, however, is not without its defects of which I should caution prospective buyers about. First, there are many treatments in the book of historical interest, but to a student of first-order logic they may seem to be a bit excessive. His incorporation of Polish notation, while fascinating in its own right, is not in accorance with Quine's drive for efficiency and conciseness. A similar account goes for his treatment of Boolean algebra. It is in that treatment that Quine introduces many ideas indispensible to quantificational logic, yet it is tempting to skip over those chapters when one can sufficiently delve into quantification theory. Secondly, his notation is, as another reviewer points out, unorthodox. It is very effective and in my opinion superior to the conventional formality, but this could be difficult to deal with, and one wonders if Quine should have been more cautious about varying his symbols from the norm. Finally, Quine's treatment of the Completeness Proof and the Lowenheim Theorem, while quite solid in their own right, could be more effective. Quine seems to be keen on applying a constructivist approach to the proof, and spends many pages on definitions and lemmas that can be avoided. One can provide a proof by contradiction in order to sufficiently demonstrate most of his treatment of the matter, as so much of it is spent proving the "law of infinite conjunction," which is really only an 8 step proof. I won't go into the details here, but keep that in mind when studying the chapter. Nevertheless, Quine's work is as entertaining as it is rigorous.
Top reviews from other countries
- Amazon CustomerReviewed in the United Kingdom on March 23, 2017
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Format: PaperbackVerified PurchaseA must for everyone interested in logic, especially those not yet proficient in the field.
- yonykReviewed in Canada on October 4, 2018
4.0 out of 5 stars nice
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchasenice. nothing to tell more