Logic Made Easy: How to Know When Language Deceives You

"The best introduction to logic you will find."—Martin Gardner

"Professor Bennett entertains as she instructs," writes Publishers Weekly about the penetrating yet practical Logic Made Easy. This brilliantly clear and gratifyingly concise treatment of the ancient Greek discipline identifies the illogical in everything from street signs to tax forms. Complete with puzzles you can try yourself, Logic Made Easy invites readers to identify and ultimately remedy logical slips in everyday life. Designed with dozens of visual examples, the book guides you through those hair-raising times when logic is at odds with our language and common sense. Logic Made Easy is indeed one of those rare books that will actually make you a more logical human being. 36 illustrations.

Customer Reviews:

Good But By No Means Easy

By Timothy Haugh - August 18, 2004

I wish I could say I agreed with this title 100%. As a teacher of math and science, I am always looking for books that can make these subjects a little easier for my students. I am also a big believer in math and science books for the general reader. Unfortunately, I don't think this book qualifies.

That is not to say that this is not a good book. For a college student in a logic course, this book is a godsend. It is certainly a clear and concise development of the subject. Indeed, for anyone with a solid background in college level math who is interested in the subject of logic, this book is excellent. It is full of historical background (which I love) and it gives a lot of practical examples in logic, many from standardized exams but also some everyday stuff. And Ms. Bennett does point out many common logical fallacies, which is important.

However, when it comes right down to it, this is a book in pure logic. If you're not familiar with the p's and q's... read more

Learn logic in a friendly way

By Jeff "Always Learning" - April 19, 2004

I really enjoyed this book. I've taken Critical Thinking, Philosophy, and Discrete Math at University but this book clarified ideas to me that I found difficult in formal classes. The book is a friendly, popular version of formal logic. The author presents history, nuances, and examples of logic that we easily misunderstand. Please realize the book is a readable subject of logic and not meant to replace expensive course textbooks. Afterall, look at the difference in price. If you truly love logic as I do, you'll find the book interesting and informative. If you read this book, then you will learn more about logic than you already know.

Great book for LSAT prep!

By LSAT Blog "LSATblog.blogspot.com" - February 10, 2009

As a professional LSAT tutor/blogger in NYC, I can say that although it's not explicitly written for test-prep purposes, this book contains several logical reasoning-type questions and reviews several common fallacies. The author is clearly familiar with the LSAT, and this makes the book more relevant for our purposes. I highly recommend reading this because it is clear, full of simple examples, and concise. You can skip the parts on the history of logic.

When to read: Before you begin LSAT prep or when you need a break from practice exams.