Logic: The Right Use of Reason in the Inquirey after Truth by Sir Isaac Watts

[Karin]

4 stars

What do you say about a book on logic that was used at Oxford for over 100 years, and as a text for nearly 200, including schools such as Cambridge? Granted the language, although modern English, is somewhat antiquated now, but this introductory book on logic is still very strong and really begs to be read by anyone with any interest in the subject. Certainly it isn't perfect, and given that Watts also wrote many Christian hymns has that bias (but then, all logic books have bias one way or another, as does all philosophy and rhetoric), but it's not something that spoils the basic teachings which start with what are ideas, what are words, and so on, then builds slowly but thoroughly from there. This was written with pupils in mind, so isn't mind-boggling even if it requires thinking, particularly if you are new to the subject. Most of it is written in relatively short sections, so you can take time to ponder and mark your page. I did that more because I was reading a number of other books throughout this time and was in no hurry to finish. Plus, first my copy was stolen when I left it behind in the RMV, then I had to get library copies, etc.

I do recommend this even if I didn't give it five stars.