Logic as a Tool

Preface

Unlike most books and textbooks on logic, this one purports to teach logic not so much as a subject to study, but rather as a tool to master and use for performing and structuring correct reasoning. It introduces classical logic rather informally, with very few theorems and proofs (which are mainly located in the supplementary sections). Nevertheless, the exposition is systematic and precise, without compromising on the essential technical and conceptual issues and subtle points inherent in logic.

Aims

This textbook covers only the core of classical logic, which itself is just the heart of the vast and growing body of modern logic. The main aims of the book are:

1. 1. to explain the language, grammar, meaning, and formal semantics of logical formulae, to help the reader understand the use of classical logical languages and be able both to formalize natural language statements in them and translate back from logical formulae to natural language;
2. 2. to present, explain, and illustrate with examples the use of the most popular deductive systems (namely, axiomatic systems, Semantic Tableaux, Natural Deduction, and Resolution with the only notable exclusion being Sequent Calculus, which is essentially inter-reducible with Natural Deduction) for mechanizing and “computing” logical reasoning both on propositional and on first-order level, and to provide the reader with the necessary technical skills for practical derivations in them; and
3. 3. to offer systematic advice and guidelines ...