The Improvement of the Mind

A Supplement to the Art of Logic

By Isaac Watts

2024

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Isaac Watts (1674–1748) was an English nonconformist minister, song writer, theologian, and logician. First published in 1741, The Improvement of the Mind is a follow-up to Watts' earlier work on Logic. The Improvement of the Mind could be considered one of the earliest examples of a self-help guide (though it is help from Watts' distinctive Christian view). In Watts' day, to "improve" something did not merely mean to make something better; it meant to make the most of something. He recognizes that not everyone has the same opportunities, but everyone should be concerned with maximizing their intellectual abilities. This timeless guide contains chapters on discussing, reading, writing, listening to lectures, and virtually every activity where we rely upon our minds. What could be more important to reclaim in our modern world with all of its mental derangements?

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Author

Isaac Watts

Author · 12 books

Isaac Watts was an English hymnwriter, theologian and logician. A prolific and popular hymnwriter, he was recognised as the "Father of English Hymnody", credited with some 650 hymns. Many of his hymns remain in use today, and have been translated into many languages. Watts was the author of a text book on logic which was particularly popular; its full title was, Logic, or The Right Use of Reason in the Enquiry After Truth With a Variety of Rules to Guard Against Error in the Affairs of Religion and Human Life, as well as in the Sciences. This was first published in 1724, and its popularity ensured that it went through twenty editions. Isaac Watts' Logic became the standard text on logic at Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard and Yale; being used at Oxford University for well over 100 years. [wikipedia]