Why Did the Logician Cross the Road?: Finding Humor in Logical Reasoning

Description

Find out what connects logic and humor in this alternative guide to logical reasoning. Combining jokes, stories, and ironic situations, Stan Baronett shows how it is possible to ground the language of logic in everyday experience. Each chapter introduces a basic logical reasoning concept based on happenings in daily life. Using jokes as his examples, Baronett reveals the inner workings of logic. After all an effective joke often relies on an unanticipated assumption that leads to an unexpected result. The assumption changes the normal context of an everyday situation, so we are surprised by the ending. A complex mind that learns from experience, and builds a storehouse of regularly recurring patterns, is a great survival tool. But for a joke to work, the punch line has to be something our minds don't logically anticipate. The ending jolts our minds for a split second while we grasp the absurdity of the situation. This is how logic works: one part of your mind determines whether the information you are receiving is true or false, while another part of your mind deals with logical consequences. Injecting a sense of humor into logical language, Baronett helps us understand how to analyze basic logical reasoning and provides light relief for anyone daunted by the complex world of logic.

Stan Baronett is Lecturer in the Philosophy Department and Honors College at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, USA. He is the author of Logic: 5th Edition (2021) and Journey into Philosophy (2016).

Engaging, accessible, and very clearly written, this wonderfully humorous text makes learning logic as enjoyable as a comedy show! * James Stacey Taylor, Associate Professor of Philosophy, The College of New Jersey, USA * Baronett expertly presents both logic and humor as processes moving from assumptions to inferences, helping us see how the conclusion of our neighbor's argument can be as rigorous in its logic as it is hilarious in its unpredictability. We're also reminded how much fun it can be to thoughtfully communicate with one other on topics large and small, from the absurd to the noteworthy. * Joia Lewis, Professor of Philosophy of Science (retired), Saint Paul College, USA * How clear. How practical. How memorable. What witty illustrations! Professor Baronett's affinity for the humorous is catchy, and it leads the reader to understand. Students, teachers, and enthusiasts alike will read with pleasure. I plan to use this as a companion to Baronett's Logic in my classroom. * Wes Jorde, Philosophy Instructor, Dakota County Technical College, Minnesota, USA *