Logic For Dummies

Logic concepts are more mainstream than you may realize. There’s logic every place you look and in almost everything you do, from deciding which shirt to buy to asking your boss for a raise, and even to watching television, where themes of such shows as CSI and Numbers incorporate a variety of logistical studies. Logic For Dummies explains a vast array of logical concepts and processes in easy-to-understand language that make everything clear to you, whether you’re a college student of a student of life. You’ll find out about:Formal LogicSyllogismsConstructing proofs and refutationsPropositional and predicate logicModal and fuzzy logicSymbolic logicDeductive and inductive reasoningLogic For Dummies tracks an introductory logic course at the college level. Concrete, real-world examples help you understand each concept you encounter, while fully worked out proofs and fun logic problems encourage you students to apply what you’ve learned.From the Back CoverFeatures real-world examples and worked-out proofsClarify your thinking and apply logic to everyday lifeLooking to learn logic, but feel lost? Relax! This friendly guide explains logic concepts in plain English, from proofs, predicate logic, and paradox to symbolic logic, semantic structures, and syllogisms. Step-by-step examples show you how to build and prove logical arguments and put equivalence rules to work. You even get tips on passing logic exams!Discover how toGain a logical perspectiveEvaluate statements with truth tablesConstruct proofs and refutationsProve arguments with quantifier logicMake logical conclusionsGrasp quantum and fuzzy logicAbout the AuthorMark Zegarelli is a professional writer with degrees in both English and Math from Rutgers University. He has earned his living for many years writing vast quantities of logic puzzles, a hefty chunk of software documentation, and the occasional book or film review. Along the way, he’s also paid a few bills doing housecleaning, decorative painting, and (for ten hours) retail sales. He likes writing best, though. If you're a certain breed of nerd/geek (e.g., me), there's always a longing to nail down "logic" so as to better evaluate statements and arguments that one comes across in books, on blogs and webboards, etc. In an attempt to fulfill this longing, I have purchased several introductory texts on logic in the past, which were somewhat helpful. However, I noticed gaps in the material presented in these books that made it difficult to make it all the way through. It seemed the material wasn't dumbed down enough. Enter Logic for Dummies. This is the most readable introductory-level book on logic I've read to date. In typical Dummies fashion, few paragraphs in the book exceed more than three or four sentences and the author is always indicating how the current material builds on what has already come and how it leads to what will eventually follow. The focus in Logic for Dummies is sentential logic and quantifier logic - formal/symbolic logic. So if you're looking for a book on informal logic, this book is not it. You'll have to go elsewhere for that. Despite my generally positive review, it should be pointed out that if you don't have a mathematical-oriented mind and a strong enthusiasm for the subject matter, chances are you won't make it through this book. Formal/symbolic logic is not for the faint of heart. But even so, this book may be useful as a handy reference for such folks.

Logic concepts are more mainstream than you may realize. There’s logic every place you look and in almost everything you do, from deciding which shirt to buy to asking your boss for a raise, and even to watching television, where themes of such shows as CSI and Numbers incorporate a variety of logistical studies. Logic For Dummies explains a vast array of logical concepts and processes in easy-to-understand language that make everything clear to you, whether you’re a college student of a student of life. You’ll find out about:

• Formal Logic
• Syllogisms
• Constructing proofs and refutations
• Propositional and predicate logic
• Modal and fuzzy logic
• Symbolic logic
• Deductive and inductive reasoning

Logic For Dummies tracks an introductory logic course at the college level. Concrete, real-world examples help you understand each concept you encounter, while fully worked out proofs and fun logic problems encourage you students to apply what you’ve learned.

A straightforward guide to logic concepts Logic concepts are more mainstream than you may realize. There's logic every place you look and in almost everything you do, from deciding which shirt to buy to asking your boss for a raise, and even to watching television, where themes of such shows as CSI and Numbers incorporate a variety of logistical studies. Logic For Dummies explains a vast array of logical concepts and processes in easy-to-understand language that make everything clear to you, whether you're a college student of a student of life. You'll find out about: Formal Logic Syllogisms Constructing proofs and refutations Propositional and predicate logic Modal and fuzzy logic Symbolic logic Deductive and inductive reasoning L ogic For Dummies tracks an introductory logic course at the college level. Concrete, real-world examples help you understand each concept you encounter, while fully worked out proofs and fun logic problems encourage you students to apply what you've learned.