A presentation of current work that systematically explores and articulates the nature, origin and development of reasoning, this volume's primary aim is to describe and examine contemporary theory and research findings on the topic of deductive reasoning.Many contributors believe concepts such as "e;structure,"e; "e;competence,"e; and "e;mental logic"e; are necessary features for a complete understanding of reasoning.As the book emanates from a Jean Piaget Symposium, his theory of intellectual development as the standard contemporary treatment of deductive reasoning is used as the context in which the contributors elaborate on their own perceptions.

Contents: W.F. Overton, Competence and Procedures: Constraints on the Development of Logical Reasoning. B. Inhelder, D. de Caprona, The Role and Meaning of Structures in Genetic Epistemology. R.B. Ricco, Necessity and the Logic of Entailment. G. Pi raut-LeBonniec, The Logic of Meaning and Meaningful Implication. B. Matalon(translated by J. Byrnes), A Genetic Study of Implication. R.J. Falmagne, Language and the Acquisition of Logical Knowledge. M.D.S. Braine, The "Natural Logic" Approach to Reasoning. E.K. Scholnick, The Three Faces of If. F.B. Murray, The Conversion of Truth Into Necessity. D. Moshman, The Development of Metalogical Understanding. W.M. Gray, Formal Operational Thought. J.S. Black, W.F. Overton, Reasoning, Logic, and Thought Disorders: Deductive Reasoning and Developmental Psychopathology. D.P. Keating, Structuralism, Deconstruction, Reconstruction: The Limits of Reasoning.