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What are the basics of logic and what should I look for in a logic book?

I am interested in studying logic. I looked at several books in my local library but I'm not sure which one to get. There are some that say "logic" in the title and others that say "clear thinking". They are grouped together and appear to have similar content. Some have a lot about "fallacies", some only have a little info on fallacies. Some focus on mathematical proofs. How many different aspects does logic encompass? What are the basics that I need to know? I want to get a book that has everything about logic. I need to know what to look for in a book because I want to know that I am getting a book that has a complete explanation of logic so that I don't miss out on anything. I don't want to get a book that leaves anything out. Do you know of any good books or websites about logic?

Public Comments

1. A text that gives you a good slow introduction into deductive reasoning and the logical fallacies is key, in my opinion, since that sets a solid foundation for logic in general. The "mathematical proofs" you refer to are actually an area of "Symbolic Logic", which is an interesting foundation of logic in general. The symbols represent ideas, which in turn represent...well, everything! You may actually want to get a seperate text on Symbolic Logic, and begin to study the two aspects together. I'm afraid a book that contains everything about logic would probably require a small moving van to be shuttled around! You'll no doubt need to have multiple books and websites that address the topics on their own. Some things I'd suggest to look for in such books: -Written in a way that engages you and reviews it in a manner you're open to, rather than being dull and difficult. -Used copy, and marked with highlighter/sidenotes from previous owners. -A well-published author you can reference online for further studies.