On the Syllogism: And Other Logical Writings

The Syllogism and Other Logical Writings, published in 1966, collects Augustus De Morgan's five celebrated memoirs on the syllogism, along with his Syllabus of a Proposed System of Logic and an article on Logic contributed to the English Cyclopaedia. Despite his significant contributions to mathematical logic, De Morgan's writings have been relatively overlooked, buried in inaccessible periodicals. The text includes De Morgan's own later amendments and an editorial introduction that provides a summary of the whole and traces the course of his feud with Sir William Hamilton.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 386 pages
Publication date: 01 May 2023
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

Originally published in 1966, "On the Syllogism and Other Logical Writings" brings together the five celebrated memoirs of Augustus De Morgan on the syllogism. These memoirs, along with the more condensed accounts of his research presented in his Syllabus of a Proposed System of Logic and an article on Logic contributed to the English Cyclopaedia, are now collected for the first time. While De Morgan was undoubtedly one of the most distinguished British mathematicians of the nineteenth century, his legacy is primarily associated with his pioneering contributions to modern mathematical logic. Regrettably, his writings on this subject have received limited attention, largely due to the fact that, apart from his seminal work "Formal Logic," they are largely buried in inaccessible periodicals. To enhance the accessibility of his ideas, De Morgan's own later amendments have been incorporated into the text, and an editorial introduction provides a comprehensive summary of the entire work, while also tracing in detail the course of the once-famous feud with Sir William Hamilton of Edinburgh.

Augustus De Morgan, a renowned British mathematician of the nineteenth century, is best remembered today as one of the founders of modern mathematical logic. While his mathematical achievements were immense, his writings on this subject have largely been overlooked, despite their profound significance. In "On the Syllogism and Other Logical Writings," published in 1966, this collection brings together the five celebrated memoirs of De Morgan on the syllogism. These memoirs, along with the more condensed accounts of his research presented in his Syllabus of a Proposed System of Logic and an article on Logic contributed to the English Cyclopaedia, are now gathered for the first time.

De Morgan's contributions to logic were groundbreaking and laid the foundation for much of the theoretical work that followed. His Syllabus of a Proposed System of Logic, in particular, is a seminal work that outlines his vision for a new system of logic that would be more comprehensive and systematic than the existing systems. The article on Logic, contributed to the English Cyclopaedia, further showcases his expertise in the field, providing a concise yet comprehensive overview of logic and its applications.

However, it is worth noting that De Morgan's writings on logic have received limited attention in recent years, largely due to their obscurity in inaccessible periodicals. To address this issue, the editors of this collection have included De Morgan's own later amendments, which further enrich the understanding of his ideas. Additionally, an editorial introduction provides a comprehensive summary of the entire work, tracing the course of the once-famous feud with Sir William Hamilton of Edinburgh, a prominent figure in the development of mathematical logic.

Despite the limited readership of De Morgan's logic writings, his contributions to the field remain profound and influential. His Syllabus of a Proposed System of Logic, in particular, has had a lasting impact on the development of logic and its applications, and his ideas continue to inspire mathematicians and logicians today. It is hoped that this collection will serve as a means to reintroduce De Morgan's logic writings to a wider audience, allowing them to appreciate the depth and significance of his contributions to the field.

Weight: 721g
Dimension: 216 x 138 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780367194932