Logic Made Easy: How to Know When Language Deceives You [Paperback]

Deborah J. Bennett (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 11, 2005 | ISBN-10: 0393326926 | ISBN-13: 978-0393326925

"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.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In this compact, fluently written survey leavened with humor, New Jersey mathematics professor Bennett (Randomness) entertains as she instructs, focusing on?"the barriers we face in trying to communicate logically with each other." The author covers the ancient Greeks (the Greek word logos means "knowledge"), then such giants as Leibniz and Newton, who helped rescue the study of logic from classical languages, finally modern mathematicians and philosophers like Whitehead and Russell. In discussing topics like syllogisms, she uses tables and diagrams that shouldn't daunt anyone with a firm foundation in high school algebra and geometry. The book's most interesting chapter explains why if is perhaps the most problematical word in any verbal proposition. Everyone, including the hopelessly innumerate, will find Bennett's lessons in the tricks of speech invaluable, particularly in this election year.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Review

"In this case, you "can judge a book by its cover--or at least its title: the author makes a promise right at the start and then follows through by making logic easy for readers to understand."

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Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company (July 11, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0393326926
• ISBN-13: 978-0393326925
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #122,137 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

107 of 109 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good But By No Means Easy, August 18, 2004

By 

Timothy Haugh (New York, NY United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Logic Made Easy: How to Know When Language Deceives You (Hardcover)

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.

28 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Learn logic in a friendly way, April 19, 2004

By 

Jeff "Always Learning" (Midwest USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Logic Made Easy: How to Know When Language Deceives You (Hardcover)

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.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars very good intro, May 22, 2006

By 

Mitch Baywatch (Brighton, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Logic Made Easy: How to Know When Language Deceives You (Paperback)

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.