Philosophy Books

Product Description

This textbook/software package covers first-order language in a method appropriate for first and second courses in logic. The unique on-line grading services instantly grades solutions to hundred of computer exercises. It is specially devised to be used by philosophy instructors in a way that is useful to undergraduates of philosophy, computer science, mathematics, and linguistics.

The book is a completely rewritten and much improved version of The Language of First-order Logic. Introductory material is presented in a more systematic and accessible fashion. Advanced chapters include proofs of soundness and completeness for propositional and predicate logic, as well as an accessible sketch of Godel's first incompleteness theorem. The book is appropriate for a wide range of courses, from first logic courses for undergraduates (philosophy, mathematics, and computer science) to a first graduate logic course.

The package includes four pieces of software:

Tarski's World 5.0, a new version of the popular program that teaches the basic first-order language and its semantics; Fitch, a natural deduction proof environment for giving and checking first-order proofs;

Boole, a program that facilitates the construction and checking of truth tables and related notions (tautology, tautological consequence, etc.);

Submit, a program that allows students to submit exercises done with the above programs to the Grade Grinder, the automatic grading service.

Grade reports are returned to the student and, if requested, to the student's instructor, eliminating the need for tedious checking of homework. All programs will be available on both Windows and Macintosh OS. Instructors do not need to use the programs themselves in order to be able to take advantage of their pedagogical value.

The price of a new text/software package includes one Registration ID, which must be used each time work is submitted to the grading service. Once activated, the Registration ID is not transferable.
Product Details
Amazon Sales Rank: #27719 in Books
Published on: 2002-04-01
Number of items: 1
Binding: Paperback
598 pages
Customer Reviews

This book sucks
I would just like to say that this book is the worst text book I've ever had to go through. Not necessarily the writers fault, it's the subject. It has absolutely no purpose and I actually feel dumber after having read/studied it. If you have any choice at all, do not take logic. Stay far far away from it.

Good service
The service was great and the time from purchase to reciept was fantastic. The only reason I did not give this a five (would really be more like a 4 3/4) is that the box was open at both ends with a note that if the box is opened then a return is not possible, which made me a little nervous. It all worked out, though, because the book and CD work great with no returns needed.

Superb coverage & pacing
I used this book in a distance learning course, so my experience was halfway between classroom and self-learning. There were moments when the instructor's very helpful remarks made a big difference by placing the immediate subject in a larger context or by giving me a hint for an especially tough proof. But the book itself is so well-paced that I'm convinced one can work one's way through it alone and get most of the benefit. The software is the key, because (if you get the latest edition and buy it new!) you have unlimited access to the Grade Grinder servers. No one need know how many typos or missteps you make in your proofs! Every problem can be solved, sooner or later, if you interact with the automatic grader. The writing style, level of editing, and succinctness of explanations are superb. I found the book plus its software quite a painless way to learn first-order logic.