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Introductory Logic Review by Diane Wheeler
Logos School Materials(208) 883-3199
http://www.logosschool.com
Logos school's Introductory Logic text, written by Doug Wilson and Jim Nance, is an excellent beginning for logic studies. Topics include Statements and The Laws of Thought, Syllogisms and Validity, Arguments in Normal English, and Informal Fallacies. Jim Nance is the teacher in the videos, as well as a teacher of logic at Logos School. He does a fine job of teaching through the material, defining terms, and making logic understandable for parent and child alike. Combined with Intermediate Logic by Jim Nance, this is a full year of logic curriculum. For our family, however, we find just Introductory Logic to be adequate material for a year, along with supplements of puzzles and games.
The set of three videos includes 20 lessons. Each lesson covers material taught in the text with an exercise to be completed after each topic. Answers, for those of us who need them, are found in the Answer Key booklet. There are six section tests and one comprehensive test, complete with answers, in the Tests booklet.
In the final lesson on the video, Jim Nance gives many resources to further the study of logic. If Introductory Logic just whets the appetite of your student, there are many books to pursue and suggestions of games to play that will encourage the practical use of logical thinking.
As a person with no logic training whatsoever, I do find it necessary to learn the vocabulary before I begin to lead my children through the lessons. I have taken the time to create a list of words and definitions so that I have them all in one place, rather than having to search through each lesson to find where the term is defined. This could be a necessary exercise for you, too, if you are a logic rookie like me.
This series can be ordered from Logos School Materials at (208) 883-3199, or from their website at www.logosschool.com.
There are many good reasons to study logic. In the concluding lesson on video number three, Jim Nance reminds us that the results may not, however, be immediate. Nevertheless, just as we train our arm muscles by doing push ups, the muscles of the brain, trained in logic, can result in clear thinking, valid reasoning and the ability to recognize and expose invalid conclusions. These are muscles that I am eager to train in my children, and in myself, as we study logic together.
