A First Book in Logic #249455

The recent developments in logical theory fol lowing upon the contributions of Boole, Pierce, and Schroder have seemed to place the subject be yond the reach of the average student and even in most instances beyond the reach of the technically equipped philosopher. The result has been to re duce the attention that was formerly given to ele mentary instruction in logic and to displace the traditional course from its originally dominant posi tion in the university curriculum. The conviction is abroad that the ancient organon is so far inferior to the modern instrument perfected by the critical labors of Peano, Frege, Russell, and others, that it no longer deserves the attention once bestowed upon it. These objections the writer has endeavored to meet, in the first instance by introducing no symbols whatever, save the ones employed by traditional logic itself, so that the treatment may be followed by any intelligent reader, and secondly by keeping modern developments always in mind while following the traditional order of treatment. Finally, he has met the recent contention that the classical system does not hold true in all of its parts, by showing in the last chapter of this work that.