Used as an introduction to philosophy and logical thinking, this book better serves as a debater's handbook. It well covers Aristotilian and syllogistic logic. The book's strongest point, however, is it's list of informal fallacies. With the help of this book, almost anyone can win nearly any argument, even those about unfamiliar subjects. Copi's grad students did a good job on this one, except for their refusal to put Aristotilian syllogisms in standard form. It lost points with me because of it's old textbook writing style making it an uneasy read

After comparing many good logic textbooks, I choose this one as my textbook for my class. From fallacies to Mill's methods, this book presents a well-organized view on each single subject. The only minor problem I have with the book is the way the rules of inference are presented. Nonetheless, this book is still one of the best textbook. The exercises are challenging and practical. Certainly, students should do more when time permits. There are many textbooks you won't miss after you graduate from college. But, this one you will like to keep to graduate school or professional school, and even to your work place.

All I can do is echo the many enthusiastic reviews this book has already received. Copi covers a wide array of logics, formal and informal, classical and modern, and demonstrates their applications using real-life examples drawn from science, political journalism, and the law. He is lucid, nuanced, and insightful. Reading this remarkable textbook is the equivalent of taking introductory courses in symbolic logic, rhetoric, philosophy of science, and legal reasoning. I learned more from this one book than from an entire year at UC Berkeley. It's a keeper!

Please, does anyone knows if the book "Hemingway, in love and war" has been traslated in italian?. Thank you very much, Massimo.

Its just really a deep analyse of the dream in Ernest his life.
I agree agree totally with Dr. Verheyen:

Hemingway and (the false) Agnes in projection of real life!.

Romance of oné site (Ernest Hemingway anyway).

I am doctorating in psychology in beautiful Rome: Italy.

I live back in New York City (after my doctorating?).

As a Dr. in Psychology, I can antherstand Hemingway and obvious Agnes. I suppose this romance was to beautiful to hold stand!. Anyway I antherstand 1961( Ernest did suicide WITH Agnes her letters next to him) AFTER 4 TRYING? to forget Agnes! MARRIAGE'S. This prover real eternity love exists, only both have to FORGIVE, and that's the hard way (I do know personnell). They were really made for each other, sad, so sad: stubborn Ernie and WHY?. Dr. Patrick Verheyen (U.S. Graduated ;-).

Any mathematician or philosopher who has an interest in the foundations of mathematics should be familiar with Godel's work.

A mathematician reading GP may long for a more rigorous accounting of Godel's proof but GP is still an excellent exegesis because of how nicely it paints Godel's theorem in broad strokes. A more technical account can be found in Smullyan's book on Godel's Theorem, which is published by Oxford.

Lazy philosophers and laypeople will appreciate this book and should definitely purchase and read it before delving into a more complicated account of Godel's incompleteness theorems.

In sum, this book is clearly written and probably the most elementary introduction to Godel's theorems out there.

As for those of you reading this review and wondering just what's important about Godel's theorem, here are some of its highlights:

1) Godel's work shows us that there are definite limits to formal systems. Just because we can formulate a statement within a formal system doesn't mean we can derive it or make sense of it without ascending to a metalevel. (Just a note: Godel's famous statement which roughly translates as "I am not provable" is comprehensible only from the metalevel. It corresponds to a statement that can be formed in the calculus but not derived in it, if we assume the calculus to be correct.)

2) Godel's famous sentence represents an instance of something referring to itself indirectly.

3) Godel's method of approaching the problem is novel in that he found a way for sentences to talk about themselves within a formal system.

4) His proof shows to be incorrect the belief that if we just state mathematical problems clearly enough we will find a solution.

Godel's theory is somewhat esoteric; there just aren't that many math and philosophy majors out there and there are even fewer people who have a relatively solid grasp of the proof, even at a macro level. If you want to learn about one of the most interesting and impressive intellectual achievements of the 20th century, I highly recommend you get this book.

This is a remarkable book. It examines in considerable detail Godel's proof, a mathematical demonstration noted for its difficulty in its novel logical arguments. The chapter topics - the systematic codification of formal logic, an example of a successful absolute proof of consistency, the arithmetization of meta-mathematics - appear almost unapproachable. And yet, Ernest Nagel and James R. Newman have created a delightful exposition of Godel's proof. I actually read this book in one sitting that took me late into the night. I simply didn't want to stop; it is really a good little book.

Godel's proof is not easy to follow, nor easy to grasp the full implications of its conclusions. Many mathematical texts, overviews, and historical summaries avoid directly discussing Godel's proof as these quotes indicate: "Godel's proof is even more abstruse than the beliefs it calls into question." "The details of Godel's proofs in his epoch-making paper are too difficult to follow without considerable mathematical training. "These theorems of Godel are too difficult to consider in their technical details here." Such is the common reference to Kurt Godel's milestone work in logic and mathematics.

In their short book (118 pages) Nagel and Newman present the basic structure of Godel's proof and the core of his conclusions in a way that is intelligible to the persistent layman. This is not an easy book, but it is not overly difficult either. It does require concentration and a willingness to reread some sections, especially the second half.

"Godel's Proof" begins with an explanation of the consistency problem: how can we be assured that an axiomatic system is both complete and consistent? The next chapter reviews relevant mathematical topics, modern formal logic, and places Godel's work in a meaningful historical context. Following chapters explain Hilbert's approach to the consistency problem - the formalization of a deductive system, the meaning of model-based consistency versus absolute consistency, and gives an example of a successful absolute proof of consistency.

The plot now begins to twist and turn. We learn about the Richardian Paradox, an unusual mapping that proves to be logically flawed, but nonetheless provided Godel with a key to mapping meta-mathematics to an axiomatic deductive system. (I forgot to explain meta-mathematics; you will need to read the story.) And then we learn about Godel numbering, a mind boggling way to transform mathematical statements into arithmetic quantities. This novel approach leads to conclusions that shake the foundations of axiomatic logic!

The authors carefully explore and explain Godel's conclusions. For the first time I began to comprehend Godel's fundamental contribution to mathematics and logic. I am almost ready to turn to Godel's original work (in translation), his 1931 paper titled "On Formally Undecidable Propositions of Principia Mathematica and Related Systems". But first, I want to read this little book, this little gem, a few more times.

I read Godel's paper in grad school. I wish I had read this first, because it lays out the structure of the argument clearly. N&N are particularly good on clarifying what Godel did and did not prove. This is important because of all the loose mystical obfuscation out there about this theorem.

N&N clearly explain what formal "games with marks" methods are, and why mathematicians resort to them. They then walk through what Godel proved, with a bit on how he proved it. The basic idea of his (blitheringly complex) mapping is explained quite well indeed.

Suitable for mathematicians, or philosophy students tired of mystical speculations. Also goo for anyone with an interest in computability theory or any formal logic. And read it before you read Godel's paper!

No, not "The Matrix" Hollywood brought us, but the cultural matrix: where traditional logic and abstract thought have a tendency to breakdown. Life is like that. As James would remind us, this is not a "block universe" (what non-philosopher/non-scientist ever thought it was?) and so our ideas often end up bursting under the pressure of more and more experience. How is logic to cope with this? Dewey is not a magician, but in this book he sets out (in rather abstruce, brier-patch prose) to give us a radical new tool kit. If you enjoy seriously thinking about thinking, this book is for you. Bring your coffee, though. Dewey's writing style is rather soporific; and weighing in at over 500 pages, this tome can even knockout the most experienced philosophical heavyweight. That said, I encourage you to shuck your gloves and take a swing!

This book has to be taken in historical context to be understood and appreciated. First the setting took place in a very unique time. It was just after World War I and many young people were disillusioned with the human race. It also was a period of prohibition in much of the world. These situations combined created a magnetism for many creative types looking for an outlet and place to commune. The other significant idea which much be remembered as one reads the book is that this was the book that set a new style in literature. The sharp,quick narrative style was completely different than any American literature preceding it. This is indeed a somewhat rough read but keep in mind many years have passed in which this artistic style has been refined. If for nothing else read it for its historical portraition of post WWI Europe, and it artistic contribution to literature. Along the way you just might find a character or two you relate to, especially if you like wine. Cheers!

This book has to be taken in historical context to be understood and appreciated. First the setting took place in a very unique time. It was just after World War I and many young people were disillusioned with the human race. It also was a period of prohibition in much of the world. These situations combined created a magnetism for many creative types looking for an outlet and place to commune. The other significant idea which much be remembered as one reads the book is that this was the book that set a new style in literature. The sharp,quick narrative style was completely different than any American literature preceding it. This is indeed a somewhat rough read but keep in mind many years have passed in which this artistic style has been refined. If for nothing else read it for its historical portraition of post WWI Europe, and it artistic contribution to literature. Along the way you just might find a character or two you relate to, especially if you like wine. Cheers!

The Sun Also Rises is about a group of expatriated Americans who are in Paris. Jake Barnes has been emasculated in the war, and can therefore not physically express his love toward Brett. Brett is "dirty" and is incapable of staying with one person. Her "true love" died in the war, and she loves Jake, but they cannot be together because she needs what he can't give her physically.