INFORMAL LOGIC 
XVI.l, Winter 1994 

Book Abstracts 

Burbidge, John (1990). Within Reason: A 
Guide to Non-Deductive Reasoning. Peterbor-
ough, Ontario: Broadview Press. ISBN 0-
921149-55-7. 

An analogy notices a similarity between 
different things, and it is used to identify a 
proposition or relation. Working within this 
definition, Within Reason shows how various 
forms of non-deductive reasoning are varia-
tions on analogical arguments: induction, both 
simple and statistical, correlation, replies to ob-
jections, explanations, reasoning to action. A 
final chapter talks about assessing arguments 
that do not fit any standard pattern. Illustrative 
examples and most of the exercises are taken 
from the philosophical tradition or respected 
uses. Since there is seldom a neat answer, the 
student is encouraged to develop skills in exer-
cising judgement. Broadview Press has a set of 
possible answers for the use of instructors. 

Fogelin, Robert & Sinnott-Armstrong, Walter 
(1990). Understanding Arguments: An Intro-
duction to InformallAlgie (4th ed.). San Di-
ego: Harcourt Brace College Publishers. ISBN 
0-15-592672-1. 

This concise, clear, and lively textbook uses 
theories of speech acts and conversational im-
plication to explore fallacies, suppressed 
premises, and the role of common words in ar-
guments. There are also chapters on proposi-
tional logic, syllogistic logic, induction, 
probability, and a new simplified version of 
Mill's methods. Part Two includes introduc-
tions to legal, moral, scientific, and philosophi-
cal reasoning, together with complete, forceful 
essays by opponents on controversial issues in 
these areas (affirmative action, abortion, crea-
tionism, and artificial intelligence), so students 
can apply the methods of argumentation they 
have learned. There are numerous exercises 
and discussion questions, and an instructor's 
manual is available. 

Little, J. Frederick, Groarke, Leo, & Tindale, 
Christopher W. (1989). Good Reasoning Mat-
ters! A Constructive Approach to Critical 
Thinking. Toronto: McClelland & Stewart. 
ISBN 0-7710-5313-4. 

Traditionally, attempts to make sense of or-
dinary reasoning have relied on fallacy theory. 
Good Reasoning Matters! adopts an alternative 
approach that emphasizes good reasoning and 
the construction of good arguments. In place of 
fallacies, it defines various forms of good argu-
mentation, treating fallacious reasoning as a 
secondary concern that arises when arguments 
fail to fulfill the criteria for good arguments 
from authority, good arguments from ignorance, 
good two wrongs arguments, etc. The emphasis 
on forms of good argument is conjoined with a 
general discussion of the nature of arguments, 
an introduction to propositional and syllogistic 
reasoning and an account of the use and misuse 
of language in argumentative contexts. 

Yanal, Robert 1. (1988). Basic lngie. St. Paul: 
West Publishing. ISBN 0-314-64284-6. 

Basic Logic is for courses in Critical Think-
ing, Practical Reasoning, and the like. It focuses 
on assessing the validity of arguments. The chap-
ters are as follows: Arguments (their functions, 
parts); Argument Diagrams (gets students to 
see what is being argued for and what are the 
reasons); Evaluating Arguments (the difference 
between validity and soundness); Conjunction, 
Disjunction, and Conditionals (propositional 
logic with rules of do's and don'ts, eschewing 
proofs); Categorical Arguments (Venn dia-
grams); Falsehoods (false alternatives, stereo-
types, etc.); Meaning and Circularity (validity 
by virtue of meaning, begging the question); 
Inductive Generalizations, Analogical Argu-
ments, and Causal Arguments (rules for induc-
tive logic in terms of what makes arguments 
stronger, weaker); and Everyday Inductions (ad 
hominem appeals, appeals to authority, etc.). 
Exercises with room for answers on tear-out 
pages are provided, along with a glossary. 

Book abstracts as provided by authors.