Logical Labyrinths

Raymond M. Smullyan is a highly-regarded research mathematician and a successful author with numerous popular books on logic puzzles, as well as more technical works on logic. In addition, he is a magician, close friend of Martin Gardner, and a very popular figure in the international puzzle community.

With the various bridge courses springing around campuses, this book could be used for a first glimpse into mathematical logic. The author has reached a delicate balance between simple fun with the various puzzles that fill the book and the formality of an introductory course on mathematical logic.—MAA Reviews, March 2009In addition to being one of the most important mathematical logicians of our time, Raymond Smullyan is also a master inventor and purveyor of logic puzzles... Much of Smullyan's technical work consists of ingenious ways to generalize features of formal systems and crucial results in mathematical logic. That is what is highlighted in this book. Indeed, to motivate the presentation of the logic, he presents a clean and insightful generalization of many of the logic puzzles themselves. ... Given Smullyan's vitality, we can all hope for the sequel.—Stewart Shapiro, Mathematical Reviews, October 2009If mathematics educators wish to narrow the gap between expert and novice, they must understand the factors in the teaching and learning of proof, design rich explorations, and establish an environment in which these explorations are possible. The author accomplishes this admirably.—Premalatha Junius, Mathematics Teacher, November 2009Smullyan ... has earned fame for writing a small shelf of puzzle books. ... [Here] he provides a textbook on first-order logic, suitable for classroom use but animated with the lively imagination that makes his puzzle books a delight.—D.V. Feldman, CHOICE, February 2010

• Preface, I Be Wise, Generalize!, II Be Wise, Symbolize!, III Infinity, IV Fundamental Results in First-Order Logic, V Axiom Systems, VI More on First-Order Logic, References