Mirqāt The Ascent of Logic

Foundation · a field of logic

Basic Concepts

The ground of everything: propositions and arguments, validity and soundness, and what it means for reasoning to be correct.

The problem
When does a conclusion really follow from its premises, and how do we tell a good argument from a merely persuasive one?
The turning point
The separation of validity (form) from truth (content): an argument is valid when its form guarantees the conclusion in every case.
An open question
Is logical consequence ultimately formal, or does it rest on meaning we cannot fully formalize?

To study it

  • Copi & Cohen Introduction to Logic
  • Hurley A Concise Introduction to Logic
  • Beall Logic: The Basics
  • Bergmann, Moor & Nelson The Logic Book