Showing posts with label language. Show all posts
Showing posts with label language. Show all posts

Introduction to Logic Review

Introduction to Logic
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
Are you looking to buy Introduction to Logic? Here is the right place to find the great deals. we can offer discounts of up to 90% on Introduction to Logic. Check out the link below:

>> Click Here to See Compare Prices and Get the Best Offers

Introduction to Logic ReviewI agree with the other reviewers of this text that it is the best I've encountered (I have taught several different sections of logic over nearly ten years, using 6 or 7 different texts, and have reviewed countless others). The writing is admirably clear and precise, and reads well. Nothing extraneous here, but there is enough to elucidate ideas and strategies. There are two key features that distinguish this text from others, and render it extremely valuable.
(1) the examples and logic problems are INTERESTING, mostly because they are invariably drawn from philosophical arguments; this gives me an opportunity to tie the teaching of logic to discussion of philosophy and makes the relevance of logic to philosophy very clear; I often find students who are interested in philosophy because they have read existentialism or even Plato, and who appreciate the play of ideas they find in these texts; what they do not understand is that the poetry of ideas must be tied to logic, and, more importantly, that there is a kind of poetic rigor to logic; this text helps to make that clear.
(2) Gensler has developed a remarkably simple set of strategies for proof construction, that eliminates much of the confusion and ambiguity that students experience when encountering proofs for the first time; his "star test" for testing syllogisms is excellent, and a cinch to apply; it is even easier to grasp than Venn diagrams and is more versatile; his strategy for proofs in propositional and predicate logic is the best and easiest I've seen anywhere, and combines the merits of truth trees with standard deductive proofs, and has the advantage of yielding both proofs of validity and refutations by the very same method. The ease of the strategy means that it is possible to move much further in a single semester than usual. The content of the book goes further, too, than many of the standard textbooks. He goes into modal logic, belief logic, deontic logic and even has a chapter presenting a formalized ethical theory. Very cool stuff!!
(3) The only weakness I have found is in his explanation of translations; where he is very helpful and precise with strategies for producing proofs and refutations, his guidelines for producing translations into formal symbolism are a bit more vague and amount to only a few guidelines and a bit of hand waving. Still, even here I haven't seen much better elsewhere, so this is a minor quibble. In the context of my classroom, it just meant that this was something we spent more time on.
I really can't recommend this book highly enough for those who are interested in logic.Introduction to Logic Overview

Want to learn more information about Introduction to Logic?

>> Click Here to See All Customer Reviews & Ratings Now
Read More...

Madrigal's Magic Key to Spanish: A Creative and Proven Approach Review

Madrigal's Magic Key to Spanish: A Creative and Proven Approach
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
Are you looking to buy Madrigal's Magic Key to Spanish: A Creative and Proven Approach? Here is the right place to find the great deals. we can offer discounts of up to 90% on Madrigal's Magic Key to Spanish: A Creative and Proven Approach. Check out the link below:

>> Click Here to See Compare Prices and Get the Best Offers

Madrigal's Magic Key to Spanish: A Creative and Proven Approach ReviewI got decent grades in college Spanish; two "A-‘s" and a "B+." However, when I needed to actually speak Spanish, I was lost. I couldn't say much except "Mas cervezas, por favor (More beer, please)!"
"Madrial's Magic Key", along with the expensive (but quite worth it) Pimsleur tapes, have corrected the "mis-education" I was subjected to. The drills Ms. Madrigal presents are easy to remember and fun to do, not like those tedious translations and verb conjugations that college texts are so fond of. In two months, studying this book in my spare time, I retained more Spanish than I did in an entire academic year. And, for the first time, I can actually say that I understand Spanish.
I would supplement this book with a comprehensive book on Spanish grammar (I have the Barron's, but I suppose any would work) and a dictionary. I would definitely recommend "Breaking Out of Beginner's Spanish" by Joseph Keenan for an in depth take on colloquial Spanish as well. Further, if you have the money, buy the "Pimsleur Comprehensive" series as well. Get vol.'s 1-3, even though they are pricey. If you are an audio/tactile learner like me, I guarantee that you will retain more Spanish idioms using the Pimsleur method than any other.Madrigal's Magic Key to Spanish: A Creative and Proven Approach Overview

Want to learn more information about Madrigal's Magic Key to Spanish: A Creative and Proven Approach?

>> Click Here to See All Customer Reviews & Ratings Now
Read More...