Elements of Logic, 8th Edition Revised

This classical text, from 1844, was once dismissed as a mere reaffirmation of Aristotle’s doctrine of syllogistic reasoning, standing in opposition to the new logic of scientific induction that dominated the Modern era of logic and rhetoric. Yet today Elements of Logic again offers a number of useful principles for teaching reasoning and critical thinking to undergraduates, helping them to understand that common reasoning patterns are a constant across subjects and contexts. As the linear reasoning patterns of the inductive scientific method are fading, students are constantly exposed to, and seek out, information that comes in short bursts and is dominated by visual and aural stimuli. Those who must create new models of reasoning to fit ever-evolving forms of electronic media may find guidance and inspiration in Whately’s work.

Richard Whately (1787-1863) was the English logician considered responsible for the revival of the study of logic in England in the early 19th century.