Logic is often perceived as having little to do with the rest of philosophy, and even less to do with real life. In this engaging and accessible introduction, Graham Priest shows how wrong that conception is. He explores the philosophical roots of the subject, explaining how modern formal logic deals with issues ranging from the existence of God and the reality of time to paradoxes of probability and decision theory. Along the way, Priest lays out the basics of formal logic in simple, nontechnical terms.
A really excellent introduction to logic. I enjoyed this book even without digging into the math, which is mostly based on algebra-I didn't take the red pill, so to speak-but the rabbit hole is there for those curious enough to take the plunge.
Priest manages to condense an overview of logic into a little under 180 pages. This is no mean feat. For his examples Priest uses arguments for the existence of God. He catalogues some of the main criticisms of the cosmological, ontological and teleological arguments. Consequently, this introduction serves as an excellent introduction to logic for anyone studying philosophy of religion. This is accessible to anyone prepared to pause occasionally and work the mental faculties. One also suspects that Priest had way too much fun picking out the pictures for the book.
So far a very readable very high-level look at logic. I think my background reading is going to allow this book to be more relevant for me...we'll see!
Lots of good information. Many topics in logic are addressed at a high level, which was great for me as a beginner to the subject.