Philosophy: logic Books
Princeton University Press How Logic Works
Book Synopsis
£18.00
Prometheus Books How to Become a Really Good Pain in the Ass: A
Book Synopsis10-YEAR ANNIVERSARY EDITIONIn this witty, incisive guide to critical thinking the author provides you with the tools to allow you to question beliefs and assumptions held by those who claim to know what they're talking about. These days there are many people whom we need to question: politicians, lawyers, doctors, teachers, clergy members, bankers, car salesmen, and your boss. This book will empower you with the ability to spot faulty reasoning and, by asking the right sorts of questions, hold people accountable not only for what they believe but how they behave. By using this book you'll learn to analyze your own thoughts, ideas, and beliefs, and why you act on them (or don't). This, in turn, will help you to understand why others might hold opposing views. And the best way to change our own or others' behavior or attitudes is to gain greater clarity about underlying motives and thought processes. In a media-driven world of talking heads, gurus, urban legends, and hype, learning to think more clearly and critically, and helping others to do the same, is one of the most important things you can do.Trade Review""Teaches how to analyze your own thoughts, ideas and beliefs, and to understand why you act on them, as well as understanding others who might hold opposing views. In this regard, it can open doors to your mind that are extremely helpful.”-Bookviews“This comprehensive, lively and entertaining book...could become the foundation for a course in critical thinking. It provides a solid introduction to elementary logic, epistemology, the philosophy of religion and findings in evolutionary biology and biosociology. Recommended.”-CHOICE“Offers a fun yet specific approach to developing critical thinking processes and provides tools that allow readers to identify and question assumptions and belief systems.”-Midwest Book Review
£15.29
Hackett Publishing Co, Inc Logic and Philosophy: A Modern Introduction
Book SynopsisA comprehensive introduction to formal logic, Logic and Philosophy: A Modern Introduction is a rigorous yet accessible text, appropriate for students encountering the subject for the first time. Abundant, carefully crafted exercise sets accompanied by a clear, engaging exposition build to an exploration of sentential logic, first-order predicate logic, the theory of descriptions, identity, relations, set theory, modal logic, and Aristotelian logic. And as its title suggests, Logic and Philosophy is devoted not only to logic but also to the philosophical debates that led to the development of the field. Much new material has been added for the 13th edition. An introduction to set theory and its relationship to logic and mathematics, including philosophical issues, is now part of Chapter 13. Chapter 15 is an introduction to modal logic and Kripke semantics, concluding with a discussion of philosophical problems with any logical accommodation of modalities. Instructors who do not wish to present proof methods will find chapters on truth trees for both sentential and first-order logic, and a presentation of trees for modal logic. Special features of this text include presentations of the history of logic, alternatives to traditional methods of conditional and indirect proof, and a discussion of semantic problems with universal and existential instantiations. Throughout, the authors are sensitive to philosophical issues that arise from the relationship between ordinary language, symbolic logic, and justifications for the syntax and semantics of the various symbolic languages. Discussions range from the justification of the truth table for the sentential rendering of if . . . then statements to semantic and syntactic paradoxes, including some troubling paradoxes that arise in ordinary language (e.g., the so-called hangman or surprise quiz paradox). Logic and Philosophy includes ample material for a one-semester or two-semester course and provides a thorough preparation for more advanced logic courses.
£32.39
Indiana University Press The Essential Peirce Volume 1
Book SynopsisFeatures important philosophical papers of the brilliant American thinker Charles Sanders Peirce. This volume presents twenty-five key texts, chronologically arranged, beginning with Peirce's "On a New List of Categories" of 1867, and ending with the systematic presentation of his evolutionary metaphysics in the "Monist Metaphysical Series".
£21.59
HarperCollins Publishers On Purpose
Book SynopsisTen essays on how reading and meaningfully engaging with literature can help us live better, more purposeful lives.How do we live fully?How do we live successfully?Adrift in an anchorless world, we often worry about where we are heading. What meaning can we hope to find in our modern, secular life? The answer, Ben Hutchinson explains, can be found by looking to writers and thinkers to help us live more purposefully, more mindfully more fully.Interweaving his own (mis-)adventures with those of authors such as T.S. Eliot, Virginia Woolf, Marcel Proust and Joan Didion, On Purpose proposes ten ways in which reading and writing encourage us to ask difficult questions, project our minds into the past and future, and see ourselves and others differently.Engaging, uplifting and aphoristic, this book is for anyone who has lost their sense of direction or wishes to radically transform the way they live.
£11.69
£20.99
HarperCollins Publishers Inc This Idea Must Die
Book SynopsisTrade ReviewPraise for This Idea Must Die: "Take a look. No matter who you are, you are bound to find something that will drive you crazy." -- New York Times "Garrulous and argumentative. ... Brockman's formula is tried and tested. Better still, it shows no sign of getting old." -- New Scientist "This Idea Must Die is an excellent gathering of thoughts, rants and lamentations to add to your book list." -- Forbes "Discern[s] the zeitgeist of ideas with which some of our era's greatest minds are tussling. ... Profound. ... Provocative. ... Mind-stretching." -- Brain Pickings "Fascinating. ... Thought-provoking." -- Science News "A fascinating smorgasbord of 175 short essays about every field and facet of research." -- Science News "Brockman succeeds in presenting scientific work that will appeal to a variety of readers, no matter their background." -- Publishers Weekly Praise for Edge: "Physics, statistics, robotics, linguistics, medicine-all are zestfully scrutinized in this exuberant, mind-blowing gathering of innovative thinkers." -- Booklist "An epicenter of bleeding-edge insight across science, technology, and beyond." -- Atlantic Monthly "The brightest minds in the known universe." -- Vanity Fair "A forum for the world's most brilliant minds." -- The Observer (UK) "A provocative and informative compilation." -- Library Journal
£14.17
HarperCollins Publishers Inc The Enlightenment
Book Synopsis“[Mr. Robertson] is [a] splendid writer, astoundingly versed in European letters and gifted at vividly sketching the views of the “Enlighteners.”… Robertson, armed with a prodigious knowledge of the Enlightenment’s literary output, has captured the tone and spirit of this milieu. -- Wall Street JournalNow in paperback, a magisterial history that recasts the Enlightenment as a period not solely consumed with rationale and reason, but rather as a pursuit of practical means to achieve greater human happiness.One of the formative periods of European and world history, the Enlightenment is the fountainhead of modern secular Western values: religious tolerance, freedom of thought, speech and the press, of rationality and evidence-based argument. Yet why, over three hundred years after it began, is the Enlightenment so profoundly misunderstood as controversial, the expression of soulless calculation? The answer may be that, to an extraordinary extent, we have accepted the account of the Enlightenment given by its conservative enemies: that enlightenment necessarily implied hostility to religion or support for an unfettered free market, or that this was “the best of all possible worlds”. Ritchie Robertson goes back into the “long eighteenth century,” from approximately 1680 to 1790, to reveal what this much-debated period was really about.Robertson returns to the era’s original texts to show that above all, the Enlightenment was really about increasing human happiness - in this world rather than the next - by promoting scientific inquiry and reasoned argument. In so doing Robertson chronicles the campaigns mounted by some Enlightened figures against evils like capital punishment, judicial torture, serfdom and witchcraft trials, featuring the experiences of major figures like Voltaire and Diderot alongside ordinary people who lived through this extraordinary moment.In answering the question ''What is Enlightenment?'' in 1784, Kant famously urged men and women above all to “have the courage to use your own intellect”. Robertson shows how the thinkers of the Enlightenment did just that, seeking a well-rounded understanding of humanity in which reason was balanced with emotion and sensibility. Drawing on philosophy, theology, historiography and literature across the major western European languages, The Enlightenment is a master-class in big picture history about the foundational epoch of modern times.
£22.50
Pearson Education Introduction to Logic Propositional Logic Revised
Book Synopsis
£89.33
Penguin Putnam Inc Arguing for a Better World
Book SynopsisIs it sexist to say that “men are trash”? Can white people be victims of racism? Do we bear any individual responsibility for climate change?We’ve all wrestled with questions like these, whether we’re shouting at a relative across the dinner table, quarreling with old classmates on social media, or chatting late into the night with friends. Many people give kneejerk answers that roughly align with their broader belief system, but flounder when asked for their reasoning, leading to a conversational stalemate—especially when faced with a political, generational, or cultural divide.The truth is that our answers to these questions almost always rely on unexamined assumptions. In Arguing for a Better World, philosopher Arianne Shahvisi shows us how to work through thorny moral questions by examining their parts in broad daylight, equipping us to not only identify our own positions but to defend them as well. This book demonstrates
£16.00
OUP India Applying Critical Thinking to Modern Media
Book Synopsis
£81.69
Oxford University Press Mathematics and Scientific Representation
Book SynopsisMathematics plays a central role in much of contemporary science, but philosophers have struggled to understand what this role is or how significant it might be for mathematics and science. In this book Christopher Pincock tackles this perennial question in a new way by asking how mathematics contributes to the success of our best scientific representations. In the first part of the book this question is posed and sharpened using a proposal for how we can determine the content of a scientific representation. Several different sorts of contributions from mathematics are then articulated. Pincock argues that each contribution can be understood as broadly epistemic, so that what mathematics ultimately contributes to science is best connected with our scientific knowledge. In the second part of the book, Pincock critically evaluates alternative approaches to the role of mathematics in science. These include the potential benefits for scientific discovery and scientific explanation. A majorTrade Reviewa rare and fairly comprehensive philosophical account of the success of mathematics in science and after reading it you may be left with the impression that something like this should have been published years ago. This book is a major contribution to an otherwise underdeveloped area in the philosophy of science and is most likely to be well referenced ... this book is at the cutting-edge. * Stuart Rowlands, Science & Education *Mathematics and Scientific Representation is an engaging piece of contemporary philosophy of mathematics and science. Its deeply science-informed approach and focus on applied mathematics, with an aim to seriously tackle also more traditional issues in philosophy of mathematics, exemplify exciting and fertile scholarly 'border-hopping'. * Juha Saatsi, Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews *Pincocks writing style is engaging, and the book is structured in a way that makes it easy to follow the contours of the main lines of argumentan...an impressive book and one that repays detailed reading and re-reading. * Alan Baker, The British Journal for the Philosophy of Science *Pincock's book is an excellent analysis of some of the most important topics in philosophy of science and philosophy of mathematics, and is well worth a read for any philosopher interested in the issue of mathematical application. * Ashley Graham Kennedy, International Studies in the Philosophy of Science *Table of Contents1 Introduction ; 1.1 A Problem ; 1.2 Classifying Contributions ; 1.3 An Epistemic Solution ; 1.4 Explanatory Contributions ; 1.5 Other Approaches ; 1.6 Interpretative Flexibility ; 1.7 Key Claims ; I Epistemic Contributions ; 2 Content and Confirmation ; 2.1 Concepts ; 2.2 Basic Contents ; 2.3 Enriched Contents ; 2.4 Schematic and Genuine Contents ; 2.5 Inference ; 2.6 Core Conceptions ; 2.7 Intrinsic and Extrinsic ; 2.8 Confirmation Theory ; 2.9 Prior Probabilities ; 3 Causes ; 3.1 Accounts of Causation ; 3.2 A Causal Representation ; 3.3 Some Acausal Representations ; 3.4 The Value of Acausal Representations ; 3.5 Batterman and Wilson ; 4 Varying Interpretations ; 4.1 Abstraction as Variation ; 4.2 Irrotational Fluids and Electrostatics ; 4.3 Shock Waves ; 4.4 The Value of Varying Interpretations ; 4.5 Varying Interpretations and Discovery ; 4.6 The Toolkit of Applied Mathematics ; 5 Scale Matters ; 5.1 Scale and ScientificRepresentation ; 5.2 Scale Separation ; 5.3 Scale Similarity ; 5.4 Scale and Idealization ; 5.5 Perturbation Theory ; 5.6 Multiple Scales ; 5.7 Interpreting Multiscale Representations ; 5.8 Summary ; 6 Constitutive Frameworks ; 6.1 A Different Kind of Contribution ; 6.2 Carnap's Linguistic Frameworks ; 6.3 Kuhn's Paradigms ; 6.4 Friedman on the Relative A Priori ; 6.5 The Need for Constitutive Representations ; 6.6 The Need for the Absolute A Priori ; 7 Failures ; 7.1 Mathematics and Scientific Failure ; 7.2 Completeness and Segmentation Illusions ; 7.3 The Parameter Illusion ; 7.4 Illusions of Scale ; 7.5 Illusions of Traction ; 7.6 Causal Illusions ; 7.7 Finding the Scope of a Representation ; II Other Contributions ; 8 Discovery ; 8.1 Semantic and Metaphysical Problems ; 8.2 A Descriptive Problem ; 8.3 Description and Discovery ; 8.4 Defending Naturalism ; 8.5 Natural Kinds ; 9 Indispensability ; 9.1 Descriptive Contributions and Pure Mathematics ; 9.2 Quine and Putnam ; 9.3 Against the Platonist Conclusion ; 9.4 Colyvan ; 10 Explanation ; 10.1 Explanatory Contributions ; 10.2 Inference to the Best Mathematical Explanation ; 10.3 Belief and Understanding ; 11 The Rainbow ; 11.1 Asymptotic Explanation ; 11.2 Angle and Color ; 11.3 Explanatory Power ; 11.4 Supernumerary Bows ; 11.5 Interpretation and Scope ; 11.6 Batterman and Belot ; 11.7 Looking Ahead ; 12 Fictionalism 413 ; 12.1 Motivations ; 12.2 Literary Fiction ; 12.3 Mathematics ; 12.4 Models ; 12.5 Understanding and Truth ; 13 Facades ; 13.1 Physical and Mathematical Concepts ; 13.2 Against Semantic Finality ; 13.3 Developing and Connecting Patches ; 13.4 A New Approach to Content ; 13.5 Azzouni and Rayo ; 14 Conclusion: Pure Mathematics ; 14.1 Taking Stock ; 14.2 Metaphysics . ; 14.3 Structuralism ; 14.4 Epistemology ; 14.5 Peacocke and Jenkins ; 14.6 Historical Extensions ; 14.7 Non-conceptual Justification ; 14.8 Past and Future ; Appendices ; A Method of Characteristics ; B Black-Scholes Model ; C Speed of Sound ; D Two Proofs of Euler's Formula
£38.24
Oxford University Press Think Again How to Reason and Argue
Table of ContentsPreface: Why I Wrote This Book Part I: Why to Argue Intermission: From Why to How Part II: How to Argue Part III: How Not to Argue Conclusion: Rules to Follow
£13.49
Oxford University Press Inc Logic
Book Synopsis
£84.86
Oxford University Press To Mock a Mockingbird and Other Logic Puzzles
Book SynopsisIn this entertaining and challenging collection of logic puzzles, Raymond Smullyan-author of Forever Undecided-continues to delight and astonish us with his gift for making available, in the thoroughly pleasurable form of puzzles, some of the most important mathematical thinking of our time.Table of ContentsPART I - LOGIC PUZZLES; PART II - KNIGHTS, KNAVES, AND THE FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH; PART III - TO MOCK A MOCKINGBIRD; PART IV - SINGING BIRDS; PART V - THE MASTER FOREST; PART VI - THE GRAND QUESTION
£12.34
Oxford University Press Divine Contradiction
Book SynopsisBuilding on his paradigm-shifting work on the incarnation in The Contradictory Christ (OUP, 2021), Jc Beall extends a robust contradictory theology with an account of the trinity. Throughout the history of the Christian church, heretics, apophatics, mystics, atheists, and many others have long proclaimed that the doctrine of the trinity - one of the central doctrines of the Christian faith - is contradictory. In this work, Beall agrees; however, as Beall convincingly argues, one needn''t abandon orthodoxy, play language games, inflate one''s metaphysics, nor abandon the standard faith in the face of such divine contradiction. Instead, one can accept central axioms of the trinity at face value and, with a suitable account of logical entailment, accept the ''contradictory truths'' thereby entailed. With the clarity and precision that only a logician could provide, Beall provided theology and the Christian church in general with a very simple and viable (and arguably correct) model of divTable of Contents1: Aim, scope, limits, and main thesis 2: Logical and extra-logical entailment 3: Trinitarian identity 4: Seven virtues 5: Seven objections 6: Measuring some non-contradictory accounts 7: Towards future contradictory theology Appendix A Athanasian Creed (tr. Philip-Neri Reese, O.P.) Appendix B §2 Appendix: formal sketch of FDE
£60.00
Oxford University Press Ibn Sn Avicenna A Very Short Introduction Very
Book SynopsisVery Short Introductions: Brilliant, Sharp, InspiringThis book provides an introduction to the most important philosopher of the Islamic world, Ibn Sina, often known in English by his Latinized name Avicenna. After introducing the man and his works, with an overview of the historical context in which he lived, the book devotes chapters to the different areas of Ibn Sina''s thought. Among the topics covered are his innovations in logic, his theory of the human soul and its powers, the relation between his medical writings and his philosophy, and his metaphysics of existence. Particular attention is given to two famous arguments: his flying man thought experiment and the so-called demonstration of the truthful, a proof for the existence of God as the Necessary Existent. A distinctive feature of the book is its attention to the relationship between Ibn Sina and Islamic rational theology (kalam): in which we see how Ibn Sina responded to this tradition in many areas of his thought. A final chapter looks at Ibn Sina''s legacy in both the Islamic world and in Latin Christendom. Here Adamson focuses on the critical responses to Ibn Sina in subsequent generations by such figures as al-Ghazali, al-Suhrawardi, and Fakhr al-Din al-Razi.ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.Trade ReviewA distinctive feature of the book is its attention to the relationship between Ibn Sīnā and Islamic rational theology (kalām): in which we see how Ibn Sīnā responded to this tradition in many areas of his thought. * Morteza Hajizadeh, Ph.D. graduate in English from the University of Auckland in New Zealand. *Table of Contents1: Life works 2: Logic epistemology 3: Human person 4: Physics 5: God and world 6: Legacy Further reading Index
£9.49
Oxford University Press Philosophical Manuscripts
Book SynopsisDavid Lewis (1941-2001) was a celebrated and influential figure in analytic philosophy. When Lewis died, he left behind a large body of unpublished notes, manuscripts, and letters. This volume contains two longer manuscripts which Lewis had originally intended to turn into books, and thirty-one shorter items. The longer manuscripts are ''The Paradoxes of Time Travel'', his David Gavin Young Lectures at the University of Adelaide, and ''Confirmation Theory'', which is based on a graduate course on probability and logic that he gave at UCLA. Lewis''s described his purposes in ''The Paradoxes of Time Travel'' as being, `(1) to solve a philosophical problem hitherto largely ignored or casually mis-solved by philosophers []; (2) to introduce the layman to various topics in metaphysics, since our problem turns out to connect with many more familiar ones; and (3) to show of several of my favorite doctrines and methods in metaphysics''. By contrast, ''Confirmation Theory'' is a technical work Table of ContentsFrederique Janssen-Lauret and Fraser MacBride: Editors' Introduction Frederique Janssen-Lauret and Fraser MacBride : An Intellectual Biography Of The Young David Lewis Part I: Longer Manuscripts The Paradoxes of Time Travel: The Gavin David Young Lectures at the University of Adelaide (1971) 1: Time Travel without Hyperkinesis 2: Mapping Exercise 3: Personal Identity and Personal Time 4: Reversed Causation 5: Changing the Past: Failure 6: Changing the Past: Success References Confirmation Theory (1969) 0: Intensional Semantics 1: Probability Measures 2: Rational Belief: Statistics 3: Rational Belief: Kinematics 4: Scientific Method 5: Principles of Indierence 6: Carnap's lm-system: One Family 7: Carnap's lm-system: Many Families 8: Hintikka's lm-pa-system Confirmation Theory Bibliography Part II: Short Posthumously Published Papers (1965-2001) 1: Particular and General Causal Claims (c. 1965-66) 2: On the Nature of Certain Nonidentities: A Reply to Montague (1968) 3: Reply to Sommers (1969) 4: Contagion without Rigidity (1971) 5: Counterfactual Probability (1971) 6: Reply to Davidson (1972) 7: Insatiable Quantifiers (1972) 8: Counterfactual and Objective Probability (1973) 9: Counterpart Theory Mk. II (1974) 10: To the Thursday Logic Seminar (1976) 11: Reply to Pollock (1979) 12: Supervenience of Chances (1979) 13: Reply to Adams (1979) 14: From Phenomenal to Epiphenomenal (1981) 15: The Monty Hall Problem (c. 1982) 16: Richter's Problem (1983) 17: Russian Roulette (1984) 18: Mass and Value (1985) 19: De Se Detectivism (1986) 20: A Fifth Solution to the Problem of Temporary Intrinsics (c. 1987) 21: Acceptance Speech for the Behrman Award (1991) 22: Reply to Cresswell (1991) 23: Exclusion (1991) 24: Modal Demifictionalism (1994) 25: Merlin and Morgana (1999) 26: Reply to Martin's reply (1999) 27: Nihil Obstat: An Analysis of Ability (2001) 28: Divine Evil (2001) 29: Double Explanation by Double Having (2001) 30: Jack Is Unprovable (2001) 31: You Can't Win (2001)
£28.50
Oxford University Press Bolzanos Philosophy of Grounding Translations and
Book SynopsisThis volume presents translations of key writings by the great 19th-century philosopher Bernard Bolzano, on what is now called grounding, a notion of prime importance in metaphysics and philosophy of explanation. These writings, some of them translated for the first time, are accompanied by new essays on this area of Bolzano's work.Trade ReviewThis substantial volume is intended to increase the visibility of Bernard Bolzano (1781-1848), an underappreciated 19th-century Bohemian philosopher, theologian, and mathematician...The collection focuses on Bolzano's account of grounding, a metaphysical notion that links ontology, truth, causation, explanation, and inference. * Choice *Table of ContentsPart I: Introduction 1: Preamble 2: A survey of Bolzano's theory of grounding 3: On the contents of this volume Part II: Bolzano's writings on grounding (in English translations) 4: Early period: scientific method and the foundations of mathematics 5: Middle period: theology and metaphysics 6: Mature period: A theory of grounding Part III: Research papers on Bolzano's theory 7: Marko Malink: Aristotle and Bolzano on grounding 8: Kevin Mulligan: Logic, logical norms, and normative grounding 9: Kit Fine: Some remarks on Bolzano on ground 10: Mark Textor: Grounding, simplicity, and repetition 11: Francesca Poggiolesi: Bolzano, the (appropriate) relevant logic and grounding rules for implication 12: Edgar Morscher: The grounds of moral "truths'' 13: Paul Rusnock: Grounding in practice: Bolzano's Purely Analytic Proof in the light of the Contributions 14: Marc Lange: Bolzano, the parallelogram of forces, and scientific explanation 15: Benjamin Schnieder: A fundamental being-Bolzano's cosmological argument and its Leibnizian roots
£117.00
Oxford University Press Two Arguments for the Identity of Indiscernibles
Book SynopsisGonzalo Rodriguez-Pereyra presents two arguments for the principle that no two objects can differ only numerically. He shows that the principle cannot be reduced to a triviality, and that restricted versions concerning only qualitative propeties face problems.Trade ReviewThe book contains four new arguments about the Identity of Indiscernibles. * MathSciNet *
£56.00
Oxford University Press Movements of the Mind
Book SynopsisMovements of the Mind is about what it is to be an agent. Focusing on mental agency, it integrates multiple approaches, from philosophical analysis of the metaphysics of agency to the activity of neurons in the brain. Philosophical and empirical work are combined to generate concrete explanations of key features of the mind. The book should be relevant and accessible to philosophers and scientists interested in mind and agency.Wu argues that actions have a core psychological structure where attention plays a necessary role in guiding the agent''s response and intentions function as memory for work, a practical memory. Attention and memory are accordingly central parts of an agent''s intentionally doing things. These claims are supported by synthesizing philosophical and empirical work to produce a theory of intention and attention in action. The account explains three phenomena of current philosophical interest: (a) the basis of positively and negatively biased action where attention often leads to implicit bias, (b) the dynamics of deductive reasoning as the focusing of a thinker''s cognitive attention and the development of cognitive skills, and (c) the psychology of introspective access to conscious perceptual experience, making clear when introspection can intelligibly fail and when it can succeed.The book provides a theory of agency, whether human or non-human, along with technical notions of automaticity and control, a theory of attention as selection to guide behavior, an account of intention as memory whose dynamics are revealed in empirical investigation of working memory, explications of sustained attention and vigilance, an explanation of biased behavior driven by biases on attention, normative aspects of attention as a skill, the role of learning in cognitive skill, a theory of deduction as a sharpening of attention, and a psychologically plausible model of introspection that speaks to its accuracy and reliability.Trade ReviewThis book puts forward a theory of action. It synthesises Wayne Wu's extensive work on action and attention going back over a decade, and also substantially extends this foundation... The result is excellent. The book is wide-ranging, systematic, very original, and crammed full of interesting ideas. It draws together scientific work with philosophical argumentation in a way that is both rigorous and unusually readable. I have no doubt that it will be important to thinkers interested in action and attention, as well as philosophers of cognitive science more generally. * Henry Taylor, University of Birmingham, Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews *Table of ContentsIntroduction Part I 1: The Structure of Acting Appendix 1 2: Attention and Attending Part II 3: Intention as Practical Memory 4: Intending as Practical Remembering Part III 5: Automatic Bias, Experts and Amateurs 6: Deducing, Skill and Knowledge 7: Introspecting Perceptual Experience Epilogue Bibliography
£60.00
Oxford University Press Barriers to Entailment
Book SynopsisA barrier to entailment exists if you can''t get conclusions of a certain kind from premises of another. One of the most famous barriers in philosophy is Hume''s Law, which says that you can''t get normative conclusions from descriptive premises, or in slogan form: you can''t get an ought from an is. This barrier is highly controversial, and many famous counterexamples were proposed in the last century. But there are other barriers which function almost as philosophical platitudes: no Universal conclusions from Particular premises, no Future conclusions from premises about the Past, and no claims that attribute Necessity from premises that merely tell us how things happen to be in the Actual world. Barriers to Entailment proposes a unified logical account of five barriers that have played important roles in philosophy, in the process showing how to diagnose proposed counterexamples and arguing that the case for Hume''s Law is as strong as that for the platitudinous barriers. The first
£57.00
Oxford University Press Thinking About Logic
Book SynopsisLogic deals with the inevitable - those consequences which follow inescapably from a given set of premisses. This fact has caused it to be seen as different from other more self-questioning branches of philosophy. In this book, Stephen Read sets out to rescue logic from its undeserved reputation as an inflexible, dogmatic discipline by demonstrating that its technicalities and processes are founded on assumptions which are themselves amenable to philosophical investigation.He examines the fundamental principles of consequence, logical truth and correct inference within the context of logic, and shows that the principles by which we delineate consequences are themselves not guaranteed free from error. Central to the notion of truth is the beguiling issue of paradox. Its philosophical value, Read shows, lies in exposing the invalid assumption on which the paradox is built. Thinking About Logic also discusses logical puzzles which introduce questions relating to language, the world, and t
£33.24
Oxford University Press An Introduction to Proof Theory Normalization
Book SynopsisAn Introduction to Proof Theory provides an accessible introduction to the theory of proofs, with details of proofs worked out and examples and exercises to aid the reader's understanding.Table of ContentsPreface 1 Introduction 2 Axiomatic calculi 3 Natural deduction 4 Normal deductions 5 The sequent calculus 6 The cut-elimination theorem 7 The consistency of arithmetic 8 Constructive ordinals and induction 9 The consistency of arithmetic, continued Appendices: A The Greek alphabet B Set-theoretic notation C Axioms, rules, and theorems of axiomatic calculi D Exercises on axiomatic derivations E Natural deduction F Sequent calculus G Outline of the cut elimination theorem
£28.02
Oxford University Press, USA Hegels Dialectical Logic
Book SynopsisThis clear, accessible account of Hegelian logic makes a case for its enormous seductiveness, its surprising presence in the collective consciousness, and the dangers associated therewith. Offering comprehensive coverage of Hegel's important works, Bencivenga avoids getting bogged down in short-lived scholarly debates to provide a work of permanent significance and usefulness.Trade ReviewBencivenga's reading of the text, coming as it does from the direction of the philosophy of language, is both novel and challenging ... provides a remarkably refreshing interpretation of Hegel, generating numerous novel insights into his philosophy. It is a book that will repay close and careful study for any philosopher interested in Hegel - and many who are not. * Mind *
£47.70
Oxford University Press Kurt Godel Collected Works Volume III
Book SynopsisKurt Gödel (1906 - 1978) was the most outstanding logician of the twentieth century, famous for his hallmark works on the completeness of logic, the incompleteness of number theory, and the consistency of the axiom of choice and the continuum hypothesis. He is also noted for his work on constructivity, the decision problem, and the foundations of computability theory, as well as for the strong individuality of his writings on the philosophy of mathematics. He is less well known for his discovery of unusual cosmological models for Einstein''s equations, in theory permitting time travel into the past. The Collected Works is a landmark resource that draws together a lifetime of creative thought and accomplishment. The first two volumes were devoted to Gödel''s publications in full (both in original and translation), and the third volume featured a wide selection of unpublished articles and lecture texts found in Gödel''s Nachlass. These long-awaited final two volumes contain Gödel''s corTrade Review"The book....will certainly enlarge our appreciation of Gödel's scientific and philosophical thought as well as our understanding of his motivations. With great impatience we await now the succeeding volume...." --Mathematical Reviews"As a whole this volume is as indispensable as the two former ones for any serious student of Godel's ideas and achievements, but in this case it is also indispensable for philosophers interested in logic and mathematics. The fourth (and last?) volume of this formidable series will be devoted to Godel's correspondance, so we should look forward to having it to study."--Modern Logic"On the whole....the editors are to be wholeheartedly congratulated on bringing to the public work whi deserves careful study and which ought to do something to revitalise the philosophy of mathematics by presenting a point of view that, unusualy, combines intellectual rogour with a willingness to make bold and sweeping metaphysical claims." --Times Higher Education Supplement"This is the third volume of a comprehensive and critical edition of the works of Kurt Gödel. . .All these essays and lectures are most carefully written and remarkably rich. They give considerable insight into Gödel's own achievements in logic, set theory and physics and also into his philosophical views. . . .This volume was a desideratum for a long time. We also hope very strongly that volume 3 is not the last volume." --Vienna Circle Institute Yearbook 1997 contains unpublished materialTable of Contents1. The Nachlass of Kurt Godel: an overview ; 2. Godel's Gabelsberger shorthand ; 3. Godel *1930c: Introductory note to *1930c ; 4. Lecture on completeness of the functional calculus ; 5. Godel *1931?: Introductory note to *1931? ; 6. On undecidable sentences ; 7. Godel *1933c: Introductory note to *1933c ; 8. The present situation in the foundations of mathematics ; 9. Godel *1933?: Introductory note to *1933? ; 10. Simplified proof of a theorem of Steinitz ; 11. Godel *1938a: Introductory note to *1938a ; 12. Lecture at Zilsel's ; 13. Godel *1939b: Introductory note to *1939b and *1940a ; 14. Lecture at Gottingen ; 15. Godel *193?: Introductory note to *193? ; 16. Undecidable diophantine propositions ; 17. Godel *1940a ; 18. Lecture on the consistency of the continuum hypothesis ; 19. Godel *1941: Introductory note to *1941 ; 20. In what sense is intuitionistic logic constructive? ; 21. Godel *1946/9: Introductory note to *1946/9 ; 22. Some observations about the relationship between theory of relativity and Kantian philosophy ; 23. Godel *1949b: Introductory note to *1949b ; 24. Lecture on rotating universes ; 25. Godel *1951: Introductory note to *1951 ; 26. Some basic theorems on the foundations of mathematics and their implications ; 27. Godel *1953/9: Introductory note to *1953/9 ; 28. Is mathematics syntax of language? Version III ; 29. Is mathematics syntax of language? Version V ; 30. Godel *1961/?: Introductory note to *1961/? ; 31. The modern development of the foundations of mathematics in the light of philosophy ; 32. Godel *1970: Introductory note to *1970 ; 32. Ontological proof ; 33. Godel *1970a: Introductory note to *1970a, *1970b and *1970c ; 34. Some considerations leading to the probable conclusion that the true power of the continuum is N[2 ; 35. Godel *1970b ; 36. A proof of Cantor's continuum hypothesis from a highly plausible axiom about orders of growth ; 37. Godel *1970c ; 38. Unsent letter to Alfred Tarski ; Appendix A: Excerpt from *1946/9-A ; Appendix B: Texts relating to the ontological proof
£65.70
Oxford University Press The Last Word
Book SynopsisIn The Last Word, Thomas Nagel, a leading philosopher and Professor of Law, presents a sustained defense of reason against the attacks of subjectivism, delivering systematic rebuttals against its many relativistic claims in the fields of language, logic, ethics, and science. He proposes that reason reflects objective principles whose validity is independent of different points of view, and continues to argue that reason is universal because its only prerequisite is the ability to think systematically and with intelligence. Dismissing relativism as theoretical chic and inconsequential intellectual flourish, he predicts its ultimate stultifying effect on public discourse. The Last Word is a vigorous defense of reason and its universal narratives. Resisting what he describes as the eventual demise of intellectual discourse, Nagel''s work sets a new standard in the debate: this book presents the clarity and simplicity of objective reason.Nagel''s construction of a coherent framework beyondTrade ReviewReview from previous edition "Nagel's book is a ringing defense of the rationalist conception of reason, and an uncompromising attack on the subjectivist conception...The case that Nagel presents in these chapters should disturb all those who have been lulled, or bludgeoned, into the flabby relativism that is so rampant in contemporary intellectual culture..Nagel's argument is not only correct, it is also urgent...The Last Word is a book that should be read and pondered in this golden age of relativism." * Colin McGinn, The New Republic *"Thomas Nagel stands out among today's best philosophers in retaining closer links with big puzzles and mysteries that first attract most people to philosophy. He has a livelier sense of their depth and power than is conspicuous elsewhere in the academic study of philosophy, and admirably resists the widespread tendency to dent a thing's existence because it is difficult or perhaps impossible to understand." * The Times Literary Supplement *"...(Nagel's) book, which is concise, spare, and well-argued, will prolong discussion by setting it on a new path...what he has to say is challenging, impressive, and thought-provoking." * International Philosophical Quarterly *"...now comes Professor Nagel's fascinating, even brilliant, book..." * Commonweal *
£31.02
Oxford University Press Inc The Oxford Handbook of Philosophy of Mathematics and Logic
Book SynopsisMathematics and logic have been central topics of concern since the dawn of philosophy. Since logic is the study of correct reasoning, it is a fundamental branch of epistemology and a priority in any philosophical system. Philosophers have focused on mathematics as a case study for general philosophical issues and for its role in overall knowledge- gathering. Today, philosophy of mathematics and logic remain central disciplines in contemporary philosophy, as evidenced by the regular appearance of articles on these topics in the best mainstream philosophical journals; in fact, the last decade has seen an explosion of scholarly work in these areas. This volume covers these disciplines in a comprehensive and accessible manner, giving the reader an overview of the major problems, positions, and battle lines. The 26 contributed chapters are by established experts in the field, and their articles contain both exposition and criticism as well as substantial development of their own positionsTrade Review"The Oxford Handbook of the Philosophy of Mathematics and Logic is most certainly here to stay for a very long time. The quality of each of the contributions is reflected in the authors' stimulating writing. The handbook can add substantially to the emerging thoughts and studies on the subject."--Current Engineering Practice"The Oxford Handbook of the Philosophy of Mathematics and Logic is a very accessible, wide ranging work that serves not only to indicate the 'state of the art' in the given area, but, remarkably, also serves as a very fine introduction to the field. I recommend it highly, both to workers in the given field and, equally, to the 'general philosopher,' regardless of one's main area." --Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews
£46.07
Oxford University Press Stephen Langton Quaestiones Theologiae
Book SynopsisStephen Langton (c.1228), later Archbishop of Canterbury, was a prominent master of theology, belonging to the first generation of scholars working at the faculty of theology of the nascent University of Paris. The Quaestiones Theologiae constitute his chief speculative work. Book III, volume 1, offers a critical edition of 24 disputed questions on Christology and faith. Each question is accompanied by a critical apparatus and source notes. The edition is preceded by an extensive analysis of Langton''s views. The volume also contains an important supplement to the study of the whole manuscript tradition of Langton''s QQuaestiones Theologiae and offers the first general stemma codicum of the Quaestiones.Table of ContentsAcknowledgements Abbreviations and Editorial Policies Introduction Overview 1: Christology 2: Faith 3: Philological Introduction 4: List of Stemmata Codicum 5: Quaestiones Theologiae - Liber III, Tomus 1 Extra Indicem Bibliography Analytical Index Index of Names Biblical Index
£98.80
Oxford University Press Logic
Book Synopsis
£122.54
OUP India Logic
Book Synopsis
£101.64
Oxford University Press Inc The Power of Critical Thinking
Book SynopsisThe Power of Critical Thinking: Effective Reasoning About Ordinary and Extraordinary Claims is the #1 selling critical thinking textbook, primarily intended for the Critical Thinking, informal logic, Critical Thought and Reasoning courses. These courses, and where this book is successful, is taught out of the Philosophy department- not to be confused with the student success oriented Critical Thinking course. It explores the essentials of critical reasoning, argumentation, logic, and argumentative essay writing while also incorporating important topics that most other texts leave out, such as inference to the best explanation, scientific reasoning, evidence and authority, visual reasoning, and obstacles to critical thinking. The book is praised for Vaughn''s clear, concise, and lively writing, its real-world applications, and its focus on teaching students how to write critically and effectively-covered in Appendix B (Essays for Evaluation) and Appendix E (Critical Thinking and Writing
£95.16
Oxford University Press Inc Concise Guide to Critical Thinking
Book SynopsisLewis Vaughn''sConcise Guide to Critical Thinking, third Edition,offers a clear and compact introduction to critical thinking and argumentative writing. Based on his best-selling text,The Power of Critical Thinking, this affordable volume strikes a unique balance for instructors. While it is more succinct than the leading comprehensive texts, it covers more key content, and does so more effectively, than any of the briefer critical thinking handbooks. In addition to six core chapters on identifying, evaluating, and devising deductive and inductive arguments, the text features: *Extensive coverage of scientific reasoning, with chapters on inductive reasoning, causal arguments, scientific theories and inference, and scientific method and theory evaluation. * A chapter on obstacles to critical thinking * A chapter on fallacies and rhetorical persuaders * A substantial chapter on writing argumentative essays Throughout the text, Vaughn places emphasis on evaluation of evidence, authorit
£77.57
Oxford University Press (UK) Time and Modality John Locke Lecture
£88.20
Oxford University Press, USA Truth Probability and Paradox Studies in Philosophical Logic Clarendon Library of Logic and Philosophy
Book SynopsisClassic work by one of the most brilliant figures in post-war analytic philosophy.
£68.40
Oxford University Press The Development of Logic
Book SynopsisThe primary purpose of this book has not been to recount all that past scholars have said about the science, but rather to record the first appearances of those ideas which seem most important in the logic of our own day.
£51.30
Oxford University Press The Rationality of Induction
Book SynopsisEveryone knows that they are sometimes justified in making inductive inferences. The philosophical `problem of justifying' induction is therefore entirely imaginary. This book analyses the various literary devices which have enabled philosophers to conjure this pseudo-problem into existence.Trade Review"...A very provocative work. Stove's lively polemics will stimulate much thought, and some irritation, by attacking cherished beliefs of almost every professional philosopher...Stove's arguments are clearly expressed and presuppose minimal technical knowledge, although they are subtle enough to keep philosophers busy trying to refute them..." CHOICE, November 1986
£94.50
Clarendon Press Blindspots Clarendon Library of Logic and Philosophy
Book SynopsisAn attempt to provide a unified solution to a number of philosophical puzzles through a study of blindspots, ie consistent propositions that cannot be rationally accepted by certain individuals even if they are true.Trade Review'the book is challenging and extremely interesting. It will, I am certain, provike a good deal of exciting philosophical discussion.'Times Literary Supplement'Blindspots is full of stimulating discussions of innumerable philosophically interesting puzzles and problems ... It shows a lively sense of humour ... and reveals a knack for the provocative' Lloyd Humberstone, Monash University, Australasian Journal of Philosophy
£146.25
Oxford University Press Foundations without Foundationalism
Book SynopsisStewart Shapiro presents a distinctive and persuasive view of the foundations of mathematics, arguing controversially that second-order logic has a central role to play in laying these foundations. To support this contention, he first gives a detailed development of second-order and higher-order logic, in a way that will be accessible to graduate students. He then demonstrates that second-order notions are prevalent in mathematics as practised, and that higher-order logic is needed to codify many contemporary mathematical concepts. Throughout, he emphasizes philosophical and historical issues that the subject raises. Foundations without Foundationalism is a key contribution both to philosophy of mathematics and to mathematical logic. ''In this excellent treatise Shapiro defends the use of second-order languages and logic as framework for mathematics. His coverage of the wide range of logical and philosophical topics required for understanding the controversy over second-order logic is Trade ReviewContains more on second-order logic than is readily available in any other textbook or survey. Philosophically, the book also contains many words of wisdom. * Journal of Symbolic Logic *Table of ContentsPART I: ORIENTATION; 1. TERMS AND QUESTIONS; 2. FOUNDATIONALISM AND FOUNDATIONS OF MATHEMATICS; PART II: LOGIC AND MATHEMATICS; 3. THEORY; 4. METATHEORY; 5. SECOND-ORDER LOGIC AND MATHEMATICS; 6. ADVANCED METATHEORY; PART III: HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY; 7. THE HISTORICAL 'TRIUMPH' OF FIRST-ORDER LANGUAGES; 8. SECOND-ORDER LOGIC AND RULE-FOLLOWING; 9. THE COMPETITION; REFERENCES; INDEX
£47.70
Oxford University Press Practical Reason and Norms
Book SynopsisPractical Reason and Norms focuses on three problems: In what way are rules normative, and how do they differ from ordinary reasons? What makes normative systems systematic? What distinguishes legal systems, and in what consists their normativity? All three questions are answered by taking reasons as the basic normative concept, and showing the distinctive role reasons have in every case, thus paving the way to a unified account of normativity. Rules are a structure of reasons to perform the required act and an exclusionary reason not to follow some competing reasons. Exclusionary reasons are explained, and used to unlock the secrets of orders, promises, and decisions as well as rules. Games are used to exemplify normative systems. Inevitably, the analysis extends to some aspects of normative discourse, which is truth-apt, but with a diminished assertoric force.Trade ReviewAny serious reader should recognize the volume's rigor, sophistication, subtlety, and admirable ambitious sweep. It remains Raz's most impressive achievement ... the republication of Practical Reason and Norms ... is a welcome event. Anyone interested in legal or moral philosophy ... would be advised to pursue it. * Matthew H Kramer, Cambridge Law Journal *
£46.80
Oxford University Press A First Course in Logic
Book SynopsisThe ability to reason and think in a logical manner forms the basis of learning for most mathematics, computer science, philosophy and logic students. Based on the author''s teaching notes at the University of Maryland and aimed at a broad audience, this text covers the fundamental topics in classical logic in an extremely clear, thorough and accurate style that is accessible to all the above. Covering propositional logic, first-order logic, and second-order logic, as well as proof theory, computability theory, and model theory, the text also contains numerous carefully graded exercises and is ideal for a first or refresher course.Trade Review'a clear and unifying treatment of fundamental concepts underlying Computer Sciences and Foundations of Mathematics' Professor Boris Zilber (Professor of Mathematical Logic, University of Oxford)'an excellent book' Professor Dov Gabbay (King's College, London)Table of ContentsPreliminaries ; 1. Propositional Logic ; 2. Structures and First-Order Logic ; 3. Proof Theory ; 4. Properties of First-Order Logic ; 5. First-Order Theories ; 6. Models of Countable Theories ; 7. Computability and Complexity ; 8. The Incompleteness Theorems ; 9. Beyond First-Order Logic ; 10. Finite Model Theory ; Bibliography ; Index
£80.10
Oxford University Press, USA Bayesian Nets and Causality Philosophical and Computational Foundations
Book SynopsisBayesian nets are used in artificial intelligence as a calculus for causal reasoning, enabling machines to make predictions, perform diagnoses, take decisions and even to discover causal relationships. This book brings together how to automate reasoning in artificial intelligence, and the nature of causality and probability in philosophy.Trade ReviewThe book will certainly be appreciated by researchers and graduate students in computer science, mathematics and philosophy and, in particular, by all interested in the complicated relations between subjective and objective interpretations of probabilistic phenomena. * EMS Newsletter *Bayesian Nets and Causality is a very well-written and well-organized book ... No doubt it will be recognized as a very important contribution to the philosophy of probability and causality by a young distinguished philosopher. * Sungho Choi, Mind *Table of ContentsIntroduction ; Probability ; Bayesian Nets ; Causal Nets: Foundational Problems ; Objective Bayesianism ; Two-Stage Bayesian Nets ; Causality ; Discovering Causal Relationships ; Epistemic Causality ; Recursive Causality ; Logic ; Language Change ; References ; Index
£103.50
Oxford University Press The Adventure of Reason
Book SynopsisPaolo Mancosu presents a series of innovative studies in the history and the philosophy of logic and mathematics in the first half of the twentieth century. The Adventure of Reason is divided into five main sections: history of logic (from Russell to Tarski); foundational issues (Hilbert''s program, constructivity, Wittgenstein, Gödel); mathematics and phenomenology (Weyl, Becker, Mahnke); nominalism (Quine, Tarski); semantics (Tarski, Carnap, Neurath). Mancosu exploits extensive untapped archival sources to make available a wealth of new material that deepens in significant ways our understanding of these fascinating areas of modern intellectual history. At the same time, the book is a contribution to recent philosophical debates, in particular on the prospects for a successful nominalist reconstruction of mathematics, the nature of finitist intuition, the viability of alternative definitions of logical consequence, and the extent to which phenomenology can hope to account for the exaTrade ReviewThis book contains an enormous amount of material that historians will wish to consult. Mancosu convincingly demonstrates that there is a great deal more that we can still learn about the origins of modern mathematical logic. * Michael Potter, Philosophia Mathematica *Table of ContentsPART 1: HISTORY OF LOGIC; OART 2: FOUNDATIONS OF MATHEMATICS; PART 3: PHENOMENOLOGY AND MATHEMATICS; PART 4: NOMINALISM; PART 5: THE EMERGENCE OF SEMANTICS: TRUTH AND LOGICAL CONSEQUENCE
£54.00
Oxford University Press Categories and De Interpretatione
Book SynopsisCategories and De InterpretationeTrade Review`an admirable and ingenious piece of philosophical scholarship' D. W. Hamlyn, Classical Review`Ackrill's translation and commentary on Aristotle's Categories is an excellent introduction to the treatise.' C. Witt, University of New Hampshire
£44.99
Oxford University Press Intermediate Logic
Book SynopsisIntermediate Logic is an ideal text for anyone who has taken a first course in logic and is progressing to further study. It examines logical theory, rather than the applications of logic, and does not assume any specific technical grounding. The author introduces and explains each concept and term, ensuring that readers have a firm foundation for study. He provides a broad, deep understanding of logic by adopting and comparing a variety of different methods and approaches.In the first section, Bostock covers such fundamental notions as truth, validity, entailment, qualification, and decision procedures. Part Two lays out a definitive introduction to four key logical tools or procedures: semantic tableaux, axiomatic proofs, natural deduction, and sequent calculi. The final section opens up new areas of existence and identity, concluding by moveing from orthodox logic to an examination of `free logic''.Intermediate Logic provides an ideal secondary course in logic for university studentTrade ReviewThis textbook covers the fundamental proof-theoretical and model-theoretical aspects of classical propositional and first-order logic. . . .The book is clearly written and ideally suited for an intermediate course on the subject, requiring just some elementary knowledge of proof theory and model theory. * Mathematical Reviews *
£48.60
OUP Oxford A Survey of Metaphysics
A Survey of Metaphysics provides a systematic overview of modern metaphysics, covering all of the most important topics likely to be encountered on a metaphysics course. The conception of metaphysics underlying the book is the fairly traditional and widely-shared one that metaphysics deals with the deepest questions that can be raised concerning the fundamental structure of reality as a whole. The book is divided into six main parts, each relatively self-contained, focusing in turn on the following major themes: identity and change, necessity and essence, causation, agency and events, space and time, and universals and particulars. In an introductory chapter, the conception of metaphysics underlying the book is explained and defended against the many and varied opponents of metaphysics those students are likely to encounter. While the book makes reference when necessary to the history of metaphysics, its emphasis is on contemporary views and issues. The author''s approach is not narrow
£44.99
Oxford University Press Suppose and Tell The Semantics and Heuristics of
Book SynopsisWhat does ''if'' mean? It is one of the most commonly used words in the English language, in itself a sign to the importance of conditional thinking to human cognitive life. We make conditional statements, ask conditional questions, and issue conditional orders. We need to think and talk conditionally for many purposes, from everyday decision-making to mathematical proof. Yet the meaning of conditionals has been debated for thousands of years. Suppose and Tell brings together ideas from philosophy, linguistics, and psychology to present a controversial new approach to understanding conditionals. It argues that in using ''if'' we rely on psychological heuristics, methods which are fast and frugal and mostly, but not always, reliable. As a result philosophers and linguists have been led astray in theorizing about conditionals through trusting faulty data generated by such methods and prematurely rejecting simple theories on the basis of merely apparent counterexamples. This book shows how one such simple theory of conditionals can explain the data, and draws wider implications for the nature of meaning and its non-transparency to native speakers, vagueness in thought and language, and the need for semantics to attend to the unreliable heuristics underlying our judgments.Trade Reviewthis is a powerful book, rich with ideas and sophisticated arguments . . . Philosophers and linguists interested in conditionals are encouraged—unconditionally—to form their own opinion about the arguments that this book provides; it is a rewarding read. * Malte Willer, Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews *Table of ContentsPreface Part I: If 1: The Value of Conditionals 2: The Suppositional Rule 3: Consequences of the Suppositional Rule 4: Heuristics within Heuristics 5: Conditional Testimony 6: The Role of Conditional Propositionals 7: More Challenges 8: Interactions between Plain Conditionals and Quantifiers Part II: Would If 9: Conditionals and Abduction 10: The Interaction of 'If' and 'Would': Semantics and Logic 11: The Interaction of 'If' and 'Would': Heuristics 12: Is 'Would' Hyperintensional? 13: More on the Interaction of 'Would' with Context 14: Thought Experiments and 'Would' 15: Worlds and Meaning 16: Conclusion: Semantics, Heuristics, Pragmatics
£47.42
Oxford University Press Tractatus LogicoPhilosophicus
Book Synopsis''what can be said at all can be said clearly; and of what one cannot talk, about that one must be silent''Wittgenstein''s Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus, first published in German in 1921 and in English translation in 1922, is one of the most influential philosophical texts of the twentieth century. It played a fundamental role in the development of analytic philosophy, and its philosophical ideas and implications have been fiercely debated ever since. This new translation improves on the two main earlier translations, taking advantage of the scholarship over the last century that has deepened our understanding of both the Tractatus and Wittgenstein''s philosophy more generally, scholarship that has also involved discussion of the difficulties in translating the original German text and the issues of interpretation that arise.Michael Beaney''s translation is accompanied by two introductory essays, the first explaining the background to Wittgenstein''s work, its main ideas and their suTrade ReviewParadox is a powerful source of philosophical intrigue. And these two new editions attest to the status of the Tractatus as perhaps the philosophical classic of the twentieth century, inspiring not only philosophers of both "analytic" and "continental" stripes, but also writers, logicians and film-makers. * Jonathan Egid, The Times Literary Supplement *Table of ContentsPreface Introduction A Note on the Text Select Bibliography Chronology of Ludwig Wittgenstein Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus Explanatory Notes Appendix: The Tree Structure of the Main Propositions of the Tractatus Glossary
£8.99
