Logic of Truth-Functions- An Introduction to Symbolic Logic (An Old and Rare Book)

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The book is a simple, detailed and easily understandable exposition of the logic of truth-functions. It presupposes no previous knowledge of logic. The book was written with an eye to the needs of average students and readers who may not get the benefit of the assistance of a teacher- readers who want something like a 'Teach Yourself Symbolic Logic'.

Texts on symbolic logic generally say something of everything covered by the subject. The present author, however, thought it more fruitful to select what is generally considered its simplest part and to deal with it thoroughly. It is hoped that this method of presentation will yield more lasting results by creating a sense of confidence in the reader. Once he feels sure of his ground in a field of study. however narrow, he will naturally think of exploring the neighbouring areas of the vast expanding field that lies before him.

The book is divided into two parts. Part I, the introductory part, written along traditional lines, should present no serious difficulties even to an intelligent lay reader; it is certainly suitable for under-graduate students of logic in our colleges. Part II, the main part of the book, deals with the logic of truth-functions and contains, among other things, a critical exposition of the Johnsonian scheme of compound propositions. This part may be used by post- graduate students of our universities as their first lessons in modern logic.

The present book is an attempt at introducing beginners to symbolic logic through the logic of truth-functions which, I think, is the easiest and surest way to logic. The book is a simple, detailed and non-rigorous and, I believe, easily understandable exposition of the logic of truth-functions. Of its twelve chapters the first six form part I and the rest part II.

Part I, the introductory part, entitled 'Reasoning and its Constituents', written generally along traditional lines. introduces, after tentatively defining the subject-matter of logic, the concept of form and explains its relation to symbols as also the nature, forms and importance of symbols. Next, it deals with the nature and types of proposition, and this exposition is followed up by a detailed treatment of the possible logical relations that may hold between propositions. But the main theme of this part is implication, its relation to inference and its place in logic. Part II, the principal part of the book (the logic of truth-functions), entitled 'Logic of Propositions', first explains in some detail the meaning of the various truth-functional constants and the distinction between the technical use of these words and their use in ordinary language. And after introducing the different truth-functional schemata, particularly those that form the base of what may be called the Johnsonian system of truth-functions and also the valid argument-forms involving the truth-functions, that is, the modi, it attempts to determine the relations that may hold between truth-functions.