Deductive & Inductive Reasoning: Logic & Writing

Like the lines of a cathedral drawing the eye towards the heavens, an argument can transport individuals into an entirely different world. After all, logic equips us to understand and apprehend what is true, and it is by knowing the truth that students can find the confidence and joy needed to handle life’s challenges. To help students think rightly and obtain valuable content knowledge, Logic & Writing integrates the study of logic with the close analysis of meaningful primary source texts drawn from the Western tradition. That way, students can analyze the writings of Plato and Aristotle, John Locke and Friedrich Hayek, and apply the insights of these authors to their own lives. Students can evaluate their arguments in light of the principles gleaned from the study of logic and by so doing, increase their content knowledge and develop their ability to think and reason rightly. Each lesson contains practice problems to help students master these concepts, and each primary source has exercises to help students develop the habit of close, analytical reading. Section III: Syllogisms and Political Theory includes lessons on the nature of deductive reasoning, syllogisms, and rules for constructing and evaluating syllogisms. The readings in this section focus on political theory and include selections from Thomas Hobbes’ Leviathan, John Locke’s Second Treatise on Government, Montesquieu’s Spirit of the Laws, and selections from the Federalist Papers. Section IV: Economics and Inductive Reasoning includes lessons on the nature, purpose, and limitations of inductive reasoning, followed by chapters on the nature of causation, statistics, and historical analogies. Section IV includes selections from David Ricardo’s On the Principles of Political Economy and Taxation, Frederic Bastiat’s Parable of the Broken Window, and Friedrich Hayek’s The Road to Serfdom.