About 10-15 years ago, I took an elementary logic course at college, and found it pretty helpful. Since then, unfortunately, I’ve either sold or misplaced the textbook that we used. I now remember it being pretty helpful and would like to use it for some of my current students. I know this is a longshot, but would anyone happen to have any familiarity with this text (or a similar one suitable for very bright high school students)?
From what I can remember, the book I’m thinking of had the word “Logic” in the title (duh), and most definitely had a picture of an eland (some type of antelope, I think) on the cover, as this animal was a significant part of the book’s exercises (something to do with how that particular animal didn’t fit in with other groupings). I know this isn’t much to go on, but I figured maybe someone knows the name of this book or a place where I might be able to find out this info.
Thanks ahead of time for any help you might be able to provide.
I can’t say as I know the specific book you are talking about. Unfortunately so many of these books get re-printed with new covers that your description doesn’t help to much (basically since I’ve never seen it).
However, I recommend you look at the following two books. If neither is the one you were thinking of then at least they might provide a substitute.
Introduction to Logic
by Irving M. Copi, Carl Cohen
This is the book I used in college (at least an earlier version). As one of the seemingly most commonly used texts on the subject this might be what you were exposed to. When I studied this I found my text to be a bot dry but I had an excellent professor so my overall memory of the experience was good. That was years ago however so these new editions might be much more approachable (at least one would hope they improved in that regard). An Introduction to Philosophical Logic
by A. C. Grayling
I actually can’t recommend that book personally as I’ve never read it but while searching I came across it and it certainly looks good…especially as an introduction for students (Logic courses can be a bit intimidating)
I’m pretty sure it’s not the book you’re looking for (I don’t remember any references to antelopes, at least), but a pretty good, all-around useful intro logic text is A Concise Introduction to Logic by Patrick J. Hurley. At about 650 pages, it might be a little much for a high school class, unless you want to devote a whole course to it, but I found it to be a very well-written, understandable guide. I still use mine as a reference, and the edition used in my class had a software program included (helpful, but not necessary). The ISBN on the book I have is 0-534-50535-X.
Thanks for the leads. None of those looks familiar yet, but I did also send an e-mail to the school to see if they could help me out. I’m not sure about doing a whole logic course for high school students (though the idea is intriguing), but I wouldn’t mind doing a unit on it.
