The Great Handmaiden of Thinking: Logic

Logic is a great subject of study. As a growing student I have always loved fiddling with constructions, premises, and logical deductions. Of course, this would mean I would be dealing with a specific kind of logic--deductive logic. Now I'm no candor for singling out one over against the other, namely induction, but deduction has always been one of my favorites because it deals with absolutes. When we talk person to person we commonly use deductive reasoning to portray some message. I just happen to love to analyze this kind of rationale, how people talk and send messages, vice versa. One of my main texts for the study of logic is a book co-authored by Geisler and Brooks called, Come Let Us Reason: an introduction to logical thinking. I've learned that there are three kinds of syllogistic reasoning: categorical, hypothetical and disjunctive (either this or that). Since I'm dealing mostly with the categorical method, then it makes sense to breakdown all its parts, right?

In the first step I learned that a categorical syllogism has three main parts: major, minor and conclusive premises. These three only deal with valid statements--not whether they are true or false. Most common mistakes made in critical thinking are valid constructions taken for granted as true. This should not be the case when putting together a syllogism. And another important factor to note here is that there can be only three main parts. If, in fact, there are four parts, then it is most probable (HA! I'm using induction here) that there is an equivocal term dangling in there. Be very careful with these little bugs. I can't tell you how many times I've made the mistake of slipping them in my papers--and syllogisms are papers in themselves, except in tripod form.

Now aside from studying this book, I need to find a handbook that might better help me understand the process of logic, not only deductive but also inductive.