Synopses & Reviews
This solidly written book explains the elements of contemporary symbolic logic, and examines the ways in which it illuminates the structure of legal reasoning and clarifies various legal problems. Offering a clear and succinct presentation of standard propositional and predicate logic, it presents the elements of standard logic and applies those techniques to legal materials. It covers the use of standard logic in legal argument, including the denial or distinguishing of premises and the rules of pleading, and makes extensive use of legal materials, cases and statutes, in both examples and exercises. Readers are also given strategies for handling major legal problems in standard logic, including ways for treating conditions contrary to fact, necessary and sufficient conditions, result within the risk, and intent. For logicians and philosophers of law.
Table of Contents
Preface.
1. Introduction.
Arguments. Key Terms. Logic and the Law.
2. Propositional Logic.
And. If. Not. Or. Iff. Derived Rules. Truth Tables.
3. Predicate Logic.
Symbolization. Proofs. Propositional Analogues. Interpretations. Relations. Identity. Analysis by Instantiation.
4. Disputations.
What are Disputations? Denials. Pleading. Distinguo. Affirmative Defenses.
5. Pitfalls and Paradoxes.
Necessary and Sufficient Conditions. Problematic Universal Statements. The Paradox of Material Implication. Quantifier Scope. Existential Import.
6. Intensional Contexts.
Extensional and Intensional Contexts. Recognizing Intensional Contexts. Examples and Strategies. Intent, Risk, and Inchoate Crimes.
7. Conclusion.
Analogical and Deductive Legal Reasoning.
Appendices.
Deontic Logic. Formation Rules. Alternative Symbols. Solutions to Starred Exercises. Rules of Inference.
Index.
Table of Cases.
Table of Statutes and Rules.