Authoritative account of the development of Boole's ideas in logic and probability theory ranges from The Mathematical Analysis of Logic to the end of his career. The Laws of Thought formed the most systematic statement of Boole's theories; this volume contains incomplete studies intended for a follow-up volume. 1952 edition.
Since the publication of the first edition in 1976, there has been a notable increase of interest in the development of logic. This is evidenced by the several conferences on the history of logic, by a journal devoted to the subject, and by an accumulation of new results. This increased activity and the new results - the chief one being that Boole's work in probability is best viewed as a probability logic - were influential circumstances conducive to a new edition.Chapter 1, presenting Boole's ideas on a mathematical treatment of logic, from their emergence in his early 1847 work on through to his immediate successors, has been considerably enlarged. Chapter 2 includes additional discussion of the ``uninterpretable'' notion, both semantically and syntactically. Chapter 3 now includes a revival of Boole's abandoned propositional logic and, also, a discussion of his hitherto unnoticed brush with ancient formal logic. Chapter 5 has an improved explanation of why Boole's probability method works. Chapter 6, Applications and Probability Logic, is a new addition. Changes from the first edition have brought about a three-fold increase in the bibliography.
The Handbook of the Logic of Argument and Inference is an authoritative reference work in a single volume, designed for the attention of senior undergraduates, graduate students and researchers in all the leading research areas concerned with the logic of practical argument and inference. After an introductory chapter, the role of standard logics is surveyed in two chapters. These chapters can serve as a mini-course for interested readers, in deductive and inductive logic, or as a refresher. Then follow two chapters of criticism; one the internal critique and the other the empirical critique. The first deals with objections to standard logics (as theories of argument and inference) arising from the research programme in philosophical logic. The second canvasses criticisms arising from work in cognitive and experimental psychology. The next five chapters deal with developments in dialogue logic, interrogative logic, informal logic, probability logic and artificial intelligence. The last chapter surveys formal approaches to practical reasoning and anticipates possible future developments. Taken as a whole the Handbook is a single-volume indication of the present state of the logic of argument and inference at its conceptual and theoretical best. Future editions will periodically incorporate significant new developments.
This volume presents a definitive introduction to twenty core areas of philosophical logic including classical logic, modal logic, alternative logics and close examinations of key logical concepts. The chapters, written especially for this volume by internationally distinguished logicians, philosophers, computer scientists and linguists, provide comprehensive studies of the concepts, motivations, methods, formal systems, major results and applications of their subject areas. The Blackwell Guide to Philosophical Logic engages both general readers and experienced logicians and provides a solid foundation for further study.
This lively introductory text exposes the student in the humanities to the world of discrete mathematics. A problem-solving based approach grounded in the ideas of George PĆ³lya are at the heart of this book. Students learn to handle and solve new problems on their own. A straightforward, clear writing style and well-crafted examples with diagrams invite the students to develop into precise and critical thinkers. Particular attention has been given to the material that some students find challenging, such as proofs. This book illustrates how to spot invalid arguments, to enumerate possibilities, and to construct probabilities. It also presents case studies to students about the possible detrimental effects of ignoring these basic principles. The book is invaluable for a discrete and finite mathematics course at the freshman undergraduate level or for self-study since there are full solutions to the exercises in an appendix.'Written with clarity, humor and relevant real-world examples, Basic Discrete Mathematics is a wonderful introduction to discrete mathematical reasoning.'- Arthur Benjamin, Professor of Mathematics at Harvey Mudd College, and author of The Magic of Math
A basic system of inductive logic; An axiomatic foundation for the logic of inductive generalization; A survey of inductive systems; On the condition of partial exchangeability; Representation theorems of the de finetti type; De finetti's generalizations of excahngeability; The structure of probabilities defined on first-order languages; A subjectivit's guide to objective chance.