Book Brief · P3 (Prompt → Program → Proof)

Introduction to Logic (Third Edition)

Michael Genesereth & Eric J. Kao · Synthesis Lectures on Computer Science

Logic Computer Science Herbrand-first Online resources

P3 Summary: Prompt → Program → Proof

Prompt & Question

Prompt: Create a concise, self-contained brief of Introduction to Logic (3e) for readers in CS and math, highlighting the book’s distinctive pedagogy and resources.

Question: What makes this edition different (content and form), what topics are covered, and how do the online tools integrate with the text?

Data (Sources)

  • SpringerLink product page with description, ToC, ISBNs, and dates.[1]
  • Stanford online companion (chapters, lessons, exercises, tools, videos).[2], [3], [4]
  • Background on Herbrand vs. Tarskian semantics.[5], [6]

Logic (How we evaluate)

  1. Use the publisher page for bibliographic facts, topic coverage, and claims about pedagogy.
  2. Use the Stanford site to support statements about exercises/videos/tools.
  3. Use neutral references for short glossary notes on semantics.

Program (Driver)

A tiny “check” harness ensures every data-claim element has at least one citation in Citations.

// Pseudocode
const claims=[...document.querySelectorAll('[data-claim]')];
for (const c of claims) assert(c.querySelector('sup a[href^="#fn-"]'));
Proof = Reason Why + Check. “Reason Why” summarizes evidence; “Check” verifies structure.

Answer (TL;DR)

Genesereth & Kao’s third edition teaches modern formal logic for computer science with a distinctive Herbrand-first approach (rather than starting with standard Tarskian semantics), tightly integrated with online chapters, exercises, tools, and videos hosted by Stanford.[1], [2]

Reason Why (Evidence)

The publisher page explicitly notes the Herbrand-first pedagogy and the availability of online exercises, tools, videos, and forum, and provides a detailed table of contents.[1]

The Stanford companion site lists lessons, chapters, and practice exercises that align with the book’s structure (e.g., propositional logic, relational logic, Herbrand logic, induction, resolution).[3], [4]

Check (Self-test)

Automated checks verify: (1) every claim has a citation; (2) required sections exist; (3) core metadata parses.

    Running checks…

    Logic Track: What the Book Covers & Why It’s Different

    1. Scope and order. Topics include propositional logic and proofs, relational logic and analysis, Herbrand logic and proofs, induction, and resolution — with a sequence visible in the ToC.[1]
    2. Herbrand-first pedagogy. The text begins with Herbrand semantics to simplify early reasoning and connect to computation, instead of introducing truth in arbitrary structures first.[1]
    3. Online ecosystem. Exercises with auto-grading, interactive tools, and videos are available on the Stanford site, designed to be used alongside the text.[1], [2], [3]
    4. CS orientation. The series (Synthesis Lectures on Computer Science) frames logic for applications in computing while retaining mathematical rigor.[1]
    5. Semantics context. “Herbrand vs. Tarski” is a genuine contrast: Herbrand uses term-based structures; Tarski is the standard set-theoretic semantics of first-order logic.[5], [6]
    Takeaway: Start with computable, ground-term semantics to build intuition and tooling; then connect to classical semantics and proof systems.

    Themes

    1. Computation-friendly logic. Emphasis on models and methods that mirror automated reasoning workflows.[1]
    2. Blended learning. Textbook plus online chapters, exercises, and videos to reinforce practice.[2], [3]
    3. Bridging semantics and proof. The Herbrand-first route connects semantics to proof search and resolution earlier than traditional courses.[1]

    Studies & Context

    • Publisher details. Edition number, ISBNs (softcover and eBook), dates, and series information are listed on SpringerLink.[1]
    • Companion site. Lessons, chapters, and exercises illustrate the integrated learning model.[2], [3], [4]

    Glossary (quick reference)

    Herbrand semantics
    Term-based semantics: the universe is built from ground terms; models assign truth values to ground atoms (Herbrand structures/models).[5]
    Tarskian (standard) semantics
    Classical set-theoretic semantics for first-order logic, used to define truth in an arbitrary structure.[6]
    Resolution
    A refutation-complete proof method for clauses; covered after induction in the book’s sequence.[1]

    Book Metadata

    • Title: Introduction to Logic, Third Edition.[1]
    • Authors: Michael Genesereth; Eric J. Kao.[1]
    • Series: Synthesis Lectures on Computer Science.[1]
    • Publisher: Springer Cham (Synthesis collection).[1]
    • Edition: 3; Softcover ISBN: 978-3-031-00673-9 (first published 7 Nov 2016); eBook ISBN: 978-3-031-01801-5 (published 31 May 2022); Pages: XIII + 163.[1]
    • Companion site: chapters, tools, exercises, videos at Stanford.[2], [3]

    Citations (for this page)

    1. SpringerLink — Introduction to Logic, Third Edition (ToC, Herbrand-first description, ISBNs, dates, pages).
    2. Stanford Introduction to Logic — companion site (chapters, tools, videos, forum).
    3. Stanford — Lessons index (course structure & exercises).
    4. Stanford — Chapter 1 (sample online chapter).
    5. Wikipedia — Herbrand structure/semantics (overview).
    6. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy — Tarski’s truth definitions (standard semantics).

    This brief paraphrases public information and the publisher description; it does not reproduce the book’s text.