What texts have you used to introduce formal logic study?

[AEC]

I appologize, because this has probably been asked 500 times - I tried searching the forum, but by far the most common use of the word 'logic' is for 'logic stage' or 'logic history' so...

 

What texts have you used to introduce formal study of logic? Thus far this year, DS10 has been doing just puzzles/games that work on reasoning & deduction skills (Sudoku, Ken, Math circuits, learning chess, etc). That's gone reasonably well, and I think we're ready to move onto something more directly about the study of logical reasoning and philosophy....but I'm not sure where to start.

 

suggestions?

 

 

-andy

[mumto2]

My son loved The Fallacy Detective. Both dcs did actually. My dd also enjoyed the Traditional Logic course from MP. But ds hated it and retained very little. Both dcs love chess and logic games also.

[Lori D.]

For a 10-11yo, I would recommend the 2nd and 3rd books in the Blastoff with Logic series: Logic Liftoff, and Orbiting with Logic (secular); they are a variety of logic puzzles, but also with some brief helpful explanatory text on specific types of logic and/or fallacies. A great, gentle seg-way from straight puzzles into more formal study of logic.

 

After that, Fallacy Detective or Art of Argument make a good stepping stone to then doing a formal logic program in grade 8 or 9 (both Christian point of view). This is a helpful past thread on these 2 programs, plus additional ideas.

 

For additional secular middle school logic ideas, check out this past thread: Logic Resources Needed, and slightly further afield, if interested in philosophy for kids, there is a great list posted by Skadi in this past thread (post #5).

[fluffybunny]

He might be a little young for Formal logic, and might not get as much out of it if you started it now. Formal logic is quite different to Informal Logic (ie Fallacy Detective).

 

In the year prior to my son turning 12, I read through lots of Formal logic books. It's so important to train yourself first, I think, so you know how to teach it. We had nothing like this in school when I was a kid! The workbook I found to be the best Formal Logic is the James Nance Introductory Logic. I liked it much better than the Martin Cothran's Formal Logic I book (though I loved Cothran's FL II book), and other books just didn't go into enough detail, or they were too theoretical and not practical enough. The Nance book is christian orientated though, in case that doesn't suit, but I think you could adapt it. The reason I found that book the best was that is was very thorough, practical and systematic, with exercises every 2 pages and very clear instructions without 'fluff'. I actually got quite addicted to it by the end of my year of logic study! :drool5: