Mini Philosophy (Extra): How to solve any argument

This week we look at formal logic

Hello everybody,

Given that you are those lovely people who subscribe to Mini Philosophy (Extra) I can only assume that you’re serious about your philosophy. You want to take your Descartes to the next level. You’re ready to get serious with Russell. Well, hold on to your thinking caps, because today we’re going to dive head first into the lethal eddies of formal logic.

Any questions, do ask. I’ll be sure to obfuscate and redirect you to someone who’s better at formal logic than me.

All best,

Jonny

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The first lecture I had in my first year at university was on formal logic. Jan Westerhoff, with a tweed jacket, tiny glasses, and a whispery voice, introduced me to the magical world of philosophy, as seen through a mathematician's eyes. As the hour passed in a swirl of chalk and logical operators, I thought I’d made an awful mistake. As it turned out, I really enjoyed formal logic. I even got my best grades in it.

The idea behind formal logic is that