Richard Arthur’s Natural Deduction offers a fresh and engaging introduction to the study of logic. Written in lively, accessible prose, Arthur blends modern “informal logic” techniques with classical natural deduction methods, making complex concepts surprisingly approachable. What sets this book apart is its rich historical perspective: from the ideas of Pythagoras, the Stoics, and Indian Buddhist logicians, to the playful insights of Lewis Carroll, Venn, Boole, and Monty Python, culminating in the work of Russell and Frege. Arthur doesn’t just teach logic—he brings it to life, showing how centuries of thinkers have wrestled with reasoning, argument, and the art of thinking clearly.
Editorial Reviews
“By and large, this is an excellent addition to the store of introductory logic texts. Arthur’s approach skillfully weaves a thread between formal and informal approaches in such a way that an instructor may emphasize the latter or the former according to preference. Along the way, students practice translating natural language arguments, and in the process learn a bit about the history of philosophy and logic, all of this with an occasional laugh. The result is a text that many instructors will find compelling.” ―Nicholas Fillion and Bradley Zurcher, Dialogue
“This excellent text covers all the standard topics and more. Its real strength lies in the clarity and humour of exposition and in the richness of examples and exercises. The illustrations are invariably interesting, since often they are related to current events or the history of philosophy and science or are drawn from Monty Python. The last of these provides several memorable fallacies. Arthur’s Natural Deduction is one of the finest introductions to logic available today.” ―James Robert Brown, University of Toronto
About the Author
Richard Arthur is a scholar of philosophy and logic with a deep interest in the history of ideas. He specializes in making complex concepts accessible and engaging, blending rigorous analysis with clear, lively writing. In Natural Deduction, Arthur draws on centuries of logical thought to guide readers through both classical and modern approaches to reasoning.
