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Mathematical Treasure: Lewis Carroll's Symbolic Logic

Author(s): 
Frank J. Swetz (The Pennsylvania State University)

Among his mathematical skills, Charles Dodgson (1832-1898), whose pen name was Lewis Carroll, was a logician. His Symbolic Logic, Part I was published in 1896.

Title page of Symbolic Logic, Part I by Lewis Carroll/Charles Dodgson, 1896

This particular copy of the work shows a dedication inscription in the author’s hand.

Hand written dedication by author on page of Symbolic Logic, Part I by Lewis Carroll/Charles Dodgson, 1896

The frontispiece of the book provides a short example using diagrams to illustrate syllogisms.

Frontispiece with example of syllogism diagrams from Symbolic Logic, Part I by Lewis Carroll/Charles Dodgson, 1896

Below is a small selection of additional pages from Carroll’s Logic:

Page 1 of chapter 1 from Symbolic Logic, Part I by Lewis Carroll/Charles Dodgson, 1896

Page 1 of chapter 2 from Symbolic Logic, Part I by Lewis Carroll/Charles Dodgson, 1896

Page 1 of chapter 5 from Symbolic Logic, Part I by Lewis Carroll/Charles Dodgson, 1896

Page 1 of the first chapter of Book 2 in Symbolic Logic, Part I by Lewis Carroll/Charles Dodgson, 1896

These images are shown through the courtesy of the Library of Congress.

Index to Mathematical Treasures

Frank J. Swetz (The Pennsylvania State University), "Mathematical Treasure: Lewis Carroll's Symbolic Logic," Convergence (March 2019)