Introduction, Reading, and Directions

Introduction

Logic helps us determine which arguments are good and which are bad. But before we can evaluate arguments, we must learn what arguments are and how to identify them in the books, newspapers, lectures, and speeches we encounter. All logicians (those who study logic) share a basic terminology, which is introduced in chapter 1. As a budding logician, you will need to become familiar with these terms.

To help you notice these terms, Patrick Hurley, the author, emphasizes them by putting them in boldface. For example, in section 1.1, Hurley notes the following terms:

• argument (p. 1)
• statement (p. 2)
• truth values (p. 2)
• premises (p. 2)
• conclusion (p. 2)
• conclusion indicators (p. 3)
• premise indicators(p. 3)
• inference (p. 5)
• proposition (p. 5)

Since you will be expected to know what these terms mean, you may wish to keep a running list of them and their definitions on a separate sheet of paper. Having all of these definitions in one place will prove helpful in studying for your exams.

Reading Assignment

A Concise Introduction to Logic