This program of video classroom lessons combined with the student textbook and answer key is a complete introduction to “formal” logic study. It is essential that students are introduced to the formal principles of reasoning in the middle or early-high school years. Though Logic is not created but is discovered, and is therefore intuitive in some sense, it is critical that students learn that the truth and validity of statements can be determined analytically. Students can have an intuitive sense that an argument “seems correct” but they need to see how they can confirm statements objectively. After introducing the idea of logic, fallacies, arguments, etc, using the delightful Fallacy Detective, students should immediately pursue this more formal course.
Paraphrased from the Introduction of this course’s textbook:
Logic is an attribute of God reflected in creation. When we study logic, we study some of that reflection. Two main branches of logic are induction and deduction. Induction deals with arguments of likelihood and probability. It is the logic of the experimental sciences. Deduction deals with arguments that are valid or invalid. If valid, the conclusions follow from the premises, and they do so with certainty. This book is an introduction to deductive logic. It covers topics such as statements and their relationships, syllogisms and validity, arguments in normal English, and informal fallacies.
With the video/DVD set, this course is self-teaching, requiring little parental involvement. Of course, parents are encouraged to sit in and tune up their own reasoning skills.
Introductory Logic/Textbook
By Canon Press
Well-known Logicians Douglas Wilson and James Nance lay down the foundation of reasoning in the truth of God with crucial logic skills. Defining terms, recognizing basic types of statements, syllogisms, arguing in ordinary language and identifying fallacies are all covered using a variety of exercises and questions. Instructions are laid out at the beginning of a chapter, which are then followed by the interesting exercises and additional practice. Sidebar notes convey additional information such as definitions, key points and cautionary notes. Extensively revised and updated, this course will help students think logically in all areas of life and study. 249 pages, softcover. This book corresponds with James Nances’ Intermediate Logic Text.