The Reasonable Person: Traditional Logic for Modern Life

For centuries, logic was widely understood to be one of the first disciplines students needed to learn before they could consider themselves properly educated; indeed, it was understood to be a foundation for all further education. But as logic became more mathematical, it became increasingly the province of specialists whose investigations often had little practical relevance for daily living. Logic became arcane, and therefore a dispensable course even in liberal arts institutions. In this introductory text, Mark Grannis explains the fundamentals of traditional logic for those who just want to think more clearly in everyday life. The text grows out of years of daily classroom instruction, and includes clear explanations of the core concepts as well as many illustrations and exercises. Though designed as a textbook, it is also suitable for homeschooling or independent study. “The Reasonable Person is an outstanding introduction to logic as the art and science of sound reasoning. The book is informed by the author’s experience making Aristotle’s logic comprehensible and interesting to contemporary fourteen-year-olds, and it shows. Written for all those who desire to know the truth and to act in accordance with it, the book’s main point is compelling: we use reason in order to know the truth, and we study logic to improve our ability to find the truth together. The need for such a book in our current moment cannot be overstated.” –Gregory Kalscheur, S.J., Dean, Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences, Boston College