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EnglishWhat Is Logic Matters?
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Logic Matters (logicmatters.net) is the personal academic website and blog of Peter Smith, a logic author and teacher. It is best understood as a hub for freely available logic textbooks, study guidance, and occasional writing on logic, music, and other interests. If you are looking for open-access introductions to formal logic, Gödel's theorems, or category theory—or a reading roadmap for mathematical logic—this site is directly useful. If you want a formal course with enrollment, grading, or institutional support, it is not that; it is a collection of self-study materials.
Who runs it and what it covers
The site is maintained by Peter Smith and centers on his own teaching and writing. The homepage describes it as hosting "Peter Smith's occasional blog posts on logic, music, and other enthusiasms," with recent posts listed by date. The content spans:
- Logic textbooks — including An Introduction to Formal Logic and two books on Gödel's theorems
- Study guidance — a widely downloaded study guide and book notes
- Category theory — introductory and intermediate resources
- LaTeX for logicians — resources for typesetting logic
- A blog and archive — posts, papers, and reviews
The main resources
The "Five Big Red Logic Books"
The site's headline section states plainly that these books "are open access." This is the central draw: full texts made freely available rather than sold.
Introduction to Formal Logic
A corrected version of the second edition of An Introduction to Formal Logic is freely available on the site. The page also links to answers to the exercises and to various supplementary materials—useful if you are working through the book independently and want to check your work.
Gödel's Theorems
Two books are freely available: An Introduction to Gödel's Theorems and the much shorter Gödel Without (Too Many) Tears, along with related materials. The pairing matters: one is a fuller treatment, the other a condensed route into the same material.
Category Theory
The site collects introductory and intermediate resources such as lecture notes and freely available books, including Smith's own Introducing Category Theory.
The Study Guide and Book Notes
Beginning Mathematical Logic: A Study Guide is described as "much-downloaded." It comes with an appendix reviewing wider-ranging books on mathematical logic, plus links to roughly forty further book notes. This is the section to start with if your goal is to plan a course of reading rather than dive into a single text.
Archive and LaTeX
The archive links to older blog posts, papers, reviews, and other pieces. The LaTeX section points to resources for logicians, philosophers, and others using LaTeX.
How to decide whether to use it
| If you want to… | Logic Matters is a good fit because… |
|---|---|
| Self-study formal logic from a free textbook | An Introduction to Formal Logic is freely available with exercise answers |
| Understand Gödel's theorems at two depths | Both a full introduction and a shorter treatment are free |
| Plan a broader reading program in mathematical logic | The study guide, appendix, and ~40 book notes map the territory |
| Learn category theory from free notes and books | Introductory/intermediate resources are collected in one place |
| Typeset logic in LaTeX | A dedicated resource section exists |
| Follow occasional writing on logic and music | The blog and archive serve this |
The main limitation to keep in mind: this is a personal site built around one author's materials and recommendations. It is not a comprehensive index of all logic resources, and it does not present itself as offering structured courses or credentials. Treat it as a high-quality starting library and reading guide, and verify current availability of any specific file on the site itself, since the homepage notes a last update of September 29.