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A Concise Introduction to Logic, 14th Edition

Patrick J. Hurley

  • Copyright 2024
  • {{checkPublicationMessage('Published', '2023-03-30T00:00:00+0000')}}
Starting At $77.95 See pricing and ISBN options
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A Concise Introduction to Logic 14th Edition by Patrick J. Hurley
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Overview

Unrivaled for its clarity and comprehensiveness, Hurley's A CONCISE INTRODUCTION TO LOGIC is the No. 1 introductory logic textbook on the market. Featuring a "logic is empowering" theme, the 14th edition continues to build upon the tradition of a lucid, focused and accessible presentation of logic -- both formal and informal. Extensive, carefully sequenced exercises guide students toward greater proficiency with the skills they are learning. The range and volume of exercises allow self-pacing, enabling students who have greater difficulty to methodically build skills and work up to more difficult problems. The highly robust online platform WebAssign offers an expanded array of technology supplements, including a gradable interactive version of many of the book's exercises, online homework solutions, multimedia tutorials, question-level help videos and the complete text in an eBook format.

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Meet the Authors

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Patrick J. Hurley

Patrick Hurley received his bachelor's degree in mathematics (with a second major in philosophy and a minor in physics) from Gonzaga University in 1964 and his Ph.D. in philosophy of science with an emphasis in history of philosophy from Saint Louis University in 1973. In 1972, he began teaching at the University of San Diego, where his courses included logic, philosophy of science, metaphysics, process philosophy and legal ethics. In 1987, he received his J.D. from the University of San Diego, and he is currently a member of the California Bar Association. Retiring from teaching in 2008, Dr. Hurley continues his research and writing, including work on A CONCISE INTRODUCTION TO LOGIC and RELIGION, POWER AND ILLUSION (Prometheus Books, 2022). His interests include music, art, opera, environmental issues, fishing and skiing. He is married to Dr. Linda Peterson, who retired from teaching philosophy at the University of San Diego in 2015.

What's New

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  • The theme for the 14th edition is that logic is empowering -- not in the sense that it allows those skilled in the subject to overpower their opponents, but that it provides a basis for persuasion leading to a meeting of minds. As so viewed, logic is not confrontational but rather invitational. It invites those holding diverse views to engage in a reasoning process based on mutually agreed upon principles that lead to a freely given consensus. Knowing how to build a consensus is crucial to success in countless fields of endeavor -- both professional and personal.
  • Logic is also empowering in that it teaches us how to avoid being manipulated by tricksters who use fallacious forms of reasoning to coerce belief in unfounded views. Each chapter now begins with a short selection demonstrating how chapter material empowers students. These selections, together with the empowerment theme, help instructors answer student questions about why they are studying logic. No other textbook presents logic in this way.
  • Relevant and timely, the 14th edition includes dozens of updated examples and exercises featuring current situations drawn from a demographically diverse population. The section relating to induction provides expanded treatment of probabilities and odds as well as how to compute one given the other. In addition, the final chapter includes new coverage of the corrupting influence of corporate money on what we take to be scientific truth.
  • Question-level "Watch It" videos within WebAssign help students sharpen their problem-solving skills.
  • Question-level "Watch It" videos within WebAssign help students sharpen their problem-solving skills.
  • New! Proof-Checking tool in WebAssign allows students to create and verify formal logic proofs. Students can check the validity and receive meaningful feedback on their work.

Features

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  • The book is clearly written and logically organized so that students can use it as a resource to self-remediate.
  • Key terms are introduced in boldface type and clearly defined. Central concepts are carefully explained and graphically illustrated in colored boxes throughout the book.
  • Many examples and exercises are taken from a variety of media sources, giving students hands-on practice with real-life problems.
  • Biographical vignettes of prominent logicians appear throughout the book, giving logic a human face.
  • A guide to important rules and argument forms is provided both on the inside covers as well as on a detachable two-page card -- ensuring students have quick, on-the-go access.
  • Throughout the book, dialogue exercises vividly illustrate how logical principles apply to real-life situations.
  • Presented in a novel and more effective way, Venn diagrams for syllogisms now use color to identify the relevant areas.
  • End-of-chapter summaries facilitate student review -- maximizing their study time.
  • Thoroughly updated for the 14th edition, A CONCISE INTRODUCTION TO LOGIC's robust, author-generated test bank with its auto-gradable questions is unrivaled by other texts -- and provides a tremendous time-saver for instructors.
  • The book is accompanied by WebAssign, a powerful digital platform designed specifically for use with Hurley's A CONCISE INTRODUCTION TO LOGIC, enabling instructors to tailor your course with a wide range of assignment settings, add your own questions and content, and access student and course analytics and communication tools.
  • The book is accompanied by WebAssign, a powerful digital platform designed specifically for use with Hurley's A CONCISE INTRODUCTION TO LOGIC, enabling instructors to tailor your course with a wide range of assignment settings, add your own questions and content, and access student and course analytics and communication tools.
  • More than 2,000 carefully sequenced exercises give students ample practice applying chapter concepts to real-life scenarios, helping them confidently advance from simple to complex logic skills.
  • Read it links under each WebAssign question quickly jump to the corresponding section of the eBook.
  • Master Its provide stepped out practice of challenging problems.
  • Chapter-by-chapter practice tests prepare students for summative assessments.

Table of Contents

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Part I: INFORMAL LOGIC.
1. Basic Concepts.
Arguments, Premises, and Conclusions. Exercise. Recognizing Arguments. Exercise. Deduction and Induction. Exercise. Validity, Truth, Soundness, Strength, Cogency. Exercise. Argument Forms: Proving Invalidity. Exercise. Extended Arguments. Exercise.
2. Language: Meaning and Definition.
Varieties of Meaning. Exercise. The Intension and Extension of Terms. Exercise. Definitions and Their Purposes. Exercise. Definitional Techniques. Exercise. Criteria for Lexical Definitions. Exercise.
3. Informal Fallacies.
Fallacies in General. Exercise. Fallacies of Relevance. Exercise. Fallacies of Weak Induction. Exercise. Fallacies of Presumption, Ambiguity, and Illicit Transference. Exercise. Fallacies in Ordinary Language. Exercise.
Part II: FORMAL LOGIC.
4. Categorical Propositions.
The Components of Categorical Propositions. Exercise. Quality, Quantity, and Distribution. Exercise. Venn Diagrams and the Modern Square of Opposition. Exercise. Conversion, Obversion, and Contraposition. Exercise. The Traditional Square of Opposition. Exercise. Venn Diagrams and the Traditional Standpoint. Exercise. Translating Ordinary Language Statements into Categorical Form. Exercise.
5. Categorical Syllogisms.
Standard Form, Mood, and Figure. Exercise. Venn Diagrams. Exercise. Rules and Fallacies. Exercise. Reducing the Number of Terms. Exercise. Ordinary Language Arguments. Exercise. Enthymemes. Exercise. Sorites. Exercise.
6. Propositional Logic.
Symbols and Translation. Exercise. Truth Functions. Exercise. Truth Tables for Propositions. Exercise. Truth Tables for Arguments. Exercise. Indirect Truth Tables. Exercise. Argument Forms and Fallacies. Exercise.
7. Natural Deduction in Propositional Logic.
Rules of Implication I. Exercise. Rules of Implication II. Exercise. Rules of Replacement I. Exercise. Rules of Replacement II. Exercise. Conditional Proof. Exercise. Indirect Proof. Exercise. Proving Logical Truths. Exercise.
8. Predicate Logic.
Symbols and Translation. Exercise. Using the Rules of Inference. Exercise. Quantifier Negation Rule. Exercise. Conditional and Indirect Proof. Exercise. Proving Invalidity. Exercise. Relational Predicates and Overlapping Quantifiers. Exercise. Identity. Exercise.
Part III: INDUCTIVE LOGIC.
9. Analogy and Legal and Moral Reasoning.
Analogical Reasoning. Legal Reasoning. Moral Reasoning. Exercise.
10. Causality and Mill's Methods.
"Cause" and Necessary and Sufficient Conditions. Mill's Five Methods. Mill's Methods and Science. Exercise.
11. Probability.
Theories of Probability. The Probability Calculus. Exercise.
12. Statistical Reasoning.
Evaluating Statistics. Samples. The Meaning of "Average." Dispersion. Graphs and Pictograms. Percentages. Exercise.
13. Hypothetical/Scientific Reasoning.
The Hypothetical Method. Hypothetical Reasoning: Four Examples from Science. The Proof of Hypotheses. The Tentative Acceptance of Hypotheses. Exercise.
14. Science and Superstition.
Distinguishing Between Science and Superstition. Evidentiary Support. Objectivity. Integrity. Abusing Science. Exercise.
Answers to Selected Exercises.
Glossary/Index.

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Each WebAssign online product offers the full textbook combined with a flexible and fully customizable online instructional assignments and tools.

Cengage provides a seamless user experience for Learning Management Systems (LMS) integration. Please contact your Cengage Learning Consultant for ordering information and visit our Learning Management System Integration web page on WebAssign for general information.

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  • ISBN-10: 0357798724
  • ISBN-13: 9780357798720
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  • ISBN-10: 0357798759
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Supplements

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Cengage provides a range of supplements that are updated in coordination with the main title selection. For more information about these supplements, contact your Learning Consultant.

FOR STUDENTS

WebAssign for Hurley's A Concise Introduction to Logic, Single-Term Instant Access

ISBN: 9780357798720
WebAssign for Hurley’s A Concise Introduction to Logic, 14th Edition, is a flexible and fully customizable online instructional solution that puts powerful tools in the hands of instructors, enabling you to deploy assignments, instantly assess individual student and class performance and help your students master the course concepts. With its powerful digital platform and A Concise Introduction to Logic specific content, you can tailor your course with a wide range of assignment settings, add your own questions and content and access student and course analytics and communication tools.