has anyone tried gordon clark's logic or peter kreeft?

[Mountainmama]

looking for something substantial but not overly difficult for ds.

[Beth in Mint Hill]

Peter Kreeft's Socratic Logic is one of the best textbooks I've ever seen on this subject. It is so well done, and the writing is great! Just read the reviews at Amazon! Long ago, before I heard of this one, we used Traditional Logic I and II. I liked them, but they sure could have used Kreeft's book to fill them out and provide an overview and discussion of the points.

[Kendall]

I'm working through Socratic Logic this summer and I like it. My rising 10th grader used it last year and will finish it in the first 6 or so weeks of 10th. He had worked through Traditional Logic I and II in 7th and 8th grade. He periodically would tell me how much better Kreeft's book was than TL. My son thinks that the explanations are so much better. That said, I know I won't be able to hand Kreeft to the next child or two in 9th grade. It is a college text. I don't know what I am going to do with the next few children, but at least one of the children couldn't do TL on her own either. I hope that after doing the whole text of Socratic I can get an idea of how to use it with other children.

 

I like:

 

that there are a lot of exercises on the things Kreeft feels are most important. Fewer on the other things.

 

that translating ordinary language into logical form is done before the propositions.

 

that the book contains material logic and informal fallacies.

 

that the exercises aren't busy work/regurgitation

 

 

I am not a logician, so my comments aren't from a place of knowledge, but maybe they will give you something to start your exploration with.

 

HTH,

Kendall

[Ann.without.an.e]

Socratic Logic by Kreeft is a great book! Love it.

[Kathie in VA]

Oh, I am so drawn to the Socratic Logic book. I'm not sure we will have time this year... its a thought though. My rising 8th grader will be doing TL in his 9th grade as that is when we will be doing CW Herodotus with TL. I gather it's not a good idea to use the Socratic Logic book with my 8th grade ds before doing TL?

 

Maybe I'll just get it for my and/or my rising senior (if he has time to do it).

[Kendall]

I might be inclined to try Socratic with an 8th grader, especially knowing that he was going to get logic again. The table of contents has sections that are marked B for Basic. He could read all of those and talk to you about them and you could not "worry" if he gets it all. You could skip the sections marked P (Philosophical). Also, in the sections with exercises there are some exercises marked with E(easy) and some with H (hard) but most are not marked at all. You can contact the publisher to request the odd answers, the even ones are in the back.