A Revival: A Modern Introduction to Logic (1950)

by L. Susan Stebbing

As the author of this volume states, "the science of logic does not stand still." This book was intended to cover the advances made in the study of logic in the first half of the nineteenth century, during which time the author felt there to have been greater advances made than in the whole of the preceding period from the time of Aristotle. Advances which, in her eyes, were not present in contemporary text books. As such, this book offers a valuable insight into the progress of the subject, tracing this frenetic period in its development with a first-hand awareness of its documentary value.

Genres: Philosophy

552 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1950

About the author

L. (Lizzie) Susan Stebbing was a British philosopher of the 1930s generation of analytic philosophy.

Works
* Pragmatism and French Voluntarism (1914)
* A Modern Introduction to Logic (1930)
* Logical Positivism and Analysis (1933)
* Logic in Practice (1934)
* Imagination and Thinking (1936) with C. Day Lewis
* Thinking to Some Purpose (1939)
* Philosophy and the Physicists (1937)
* Ideals and Illusions (1941)
* A Modern Elementary Logic (1943)

Many works are out of print and copyright and are therefore available on many free e-book sites, such as: http://www.archive.org/

Reviews

[AC · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is not an introductory book -- despite the title -- but contains a deep and wide analysis of the problem of the 'new' logic (post-Russell and Whitehead). It is just a superb book -- If everyone in the English speaking world had read it, and studied it, by the age of 18, the West would not now be in decay.

For the older logic, of course -- the predicate - the classic treatment is H.W.B. Joseph, An Introduction to Logic, which has now been reprinted: http://www.amazon.com/Introduction-Lo... (it took me years to find a copy)

If you're looking for a handbook, to teach yourself symbolic logic, I'd recommend working through the following (in this order):

1.) Lemmon's Beginning Logic: http://www.amazon.com/Beginning-Logic...

2.) Cohen and Nagel, An Introduction to Logic, Book I: http://www.amazon.com/Introduction-Lo...

As always, the fall of nations is due as much to forgetfulness as to calamity.

[Blunt Of Mercia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would like to add to the other glowing review by saying that this seems to be an excellent reference for the way logic was viewed in the Russel-Wittgenstein era. doubtless it is no longer modern, but nevertheless, it explains very copiously and clearly the various terms used in the early 20th century, and how exactly they differ from the traditional terms of aristotelian logic.