Traditional Logic Books I & II

The newest Logic texts on the block are also the best for dialectic stage students, as well as older teens and adults, because of their self-study format, clear explanations, and methodical treatment of the subject.

Author Martin Cothran has a degree in philosophy and has taught logic to homeschooled students for over four years. He wrote this curriculum when he couldn’t find an existing curriculum that met his needs as a logic teacher at the junior and senior high level.

Each book begins with a meaty introduction followed by the teaching chapters. Each chapter is divided into reading material - the explanation of the lesson, and student exercises. The explanations of the lessons are clear and easy to understand. The student exercises are divided into four daily assignments. Each assignment is a portion of the chapter reading plus written exercises. The fourth day usually includes review exercises for the whole chapter.

In Traditional Logic, Book I, the first three chapters cover the mental and verbal aspects of the first building block of logical arguments, the term. Chapters 4-9 cover the mental and verbal aspects of the second building block of logical arguments, the proposition. Chapters 10-13 cover the mental and verbal aspects of the third building block of logical arguments, the syllogism. The final chapter is a review of the whole course, with exercises.

Traditional Logic, Book II is newly available, and a complete description of it will appear here after it has arrived at CCH. Answers Keys are available for both books.

The subjects covered have some overlap with Introductory Logic by Douglas Wilson. I believe Traditional Logic Book I is a more basic course, and explains things that Introductory Logic leaves out or assumes you know, or explains poorly. Introductory Logic covers some topics not touched on in Traditional Logic. Where the two overlap, I believe Tradtional Logic to do a superior job in presenting the material.

The content of Traditional Logic is clearly presented and easy to understand, and the ordering of the course material is logical and clearly explained, which helps shed light on understanding the science of logic. Throughout every chapter, the most important points of the chapter are restated in side bars, which also aids in grasping the concepts. The material in each chapter is clearly subdivided with section headings, which means you don’t have to guess at the main points. Each chapter begins with an introduction, and ends with a conclusion summarizing the material. All these things taken together mean that the author helps you in every way to “get” his point and to understand the material. This superior organization helps make the material easier to understand and grasp.

It is very helpful having the student chapter readings and exercises, furthermore, divided into daily doses. The exercises are well-structured and to the point of the course material; the directions clear. What is required of the students is within their grasp, if they carefully read the assigned chapter material. The student review exercises at the end of every chapter make the homeschool teacher’s job of ensuring comprehension of the material that much easier. Parents can go through the material themselves, with their students, and learn along with them. For homeschoolers teaching a course in logic, every little bit helps, and Traditional Logic, Book I by Martin Cothran is the most helpful logic course out there today.

I also wrote to Mr. Cothran and asked him what he thought the major differences were between his text and the Mars Hill texts. Here is his reply:

“The Mars Hill texts are wider; mine is deeper. The Mars Hill texts cover elements of propositional logic in addition to their treatment of traditional logic, and the treatment of traditional logic is, I believe, less in-depth than that in my book. My book covers traditional logic alone because it is a system unto itself. In my opinion, a systematic subject should be treated systematically and should not be confused with other systems (a danger to which students just learning a subject are particularly prone), at least at first. I have no problem with propositional logic and in fact plan to do a semester course in the subject that we plan to have out in the summer of 2000, but I do believe it is a subject best taught to the novice in isolation. I am a strong believer in the integration of the disciplines, but I also believe that, for the most part, one must learn a thing in isolation first in order to profitably integrate it with another subject.”

“Another important difference between the Mars Hill texts and my book is that my book has significantly more exercises for the student and the exercises are more carefully structured to suit the learning process. The exercises in my book follow a particular pattern: The student is first asked to read, repeat and write the material he has just been presented. Secondly, he is asked to apply what he just learned. He is then required to use the principles to create something himself (logical statements of a certain kind, syllogisms, etc.). Finally, he is asked to summarize the entire chapter. Cognitio, imitatio, repetitio.”

Have I answered your curriculum questions about Traditional Logic? If not, please ask me your question. I am sorry that I cannot tell you which curriculum to buy, but I try to describe the curriculum as completely as possible so that you can make up your mind as to which are best suited for your children.

Order Traditional Logic Book I and Book II

Return to Logic Curriculum Reviews

Return to Classical Christian Curriculum Reviews

Return to Online Catalog: Logic

Return to Classical Curriculum and Online Catalog

Contents	Introduction	Trivium	Grammar	Dialectic	Rhetoric	Homeschool
FAQ	CE Links	Favorite	Reciprocal	What’s New	Search CCH	Art History

Classical Christian Homeschooling: Classical Education at Home
Site designed and maintained by Christine Miller / This page last revised February 2000
Classical Curriculum & Online Catalog: Traditional Logic Review
http://www.classicalhomeschooling.org/curriculum/logic-cothran.html
Copyright © 1997-2000