LOGIC. WHY SHOULD WE STUDY LOGIC? PARTS 1-2.

LOGIC. WHY SHOULD WE STUDY LOGIC? PT 1.

I realize that many of us grew up watching STAR TREK Reruns, fascinated by the MR. SPOCK Character, who Obeys and Lives according to a Strict Adherence to the RULES OF LOGIC.  In Recent Television History, we have the Cast of "THE BIG BANG THEORY" to carry on this fine Tradition of Using Reasoning Skills to Entertain.  

Unfortunately, far to many fans of both shows have missed the EDUCATIONAL, PRAGMATIC, AND HUMANITARIAN USES THAT THE DISCIPLINE OF LOGIC CAN TEACH US, ABOUT SOLVING EVERYDAY PROBLEMS THAT OCCUR IN THE REAL WORLD.  IN FACT, WITHOUT THE DISCIPLINE OF LOGIC, OUR WORLD WOULD BE A MUCH MORE DANGEROUS PLACE, WITH THE SURVIVAL OF HUMANITY BEING AN EXTREMELY TENUOUS PROSPECT.

WHY?
EITHER CONSCIOUSLY OR UNCONSCIOUSLY, WHETHER IT IS DEVELOPED OR EXPANDED EVEN FURTHER THROUGH CLASSWORK OR THE WORK FORCE, HAVING A MINIMAL UNDERSTANDING OF THE DISCIPLINE IS A NECESSITY.  UNFORTUNATELY, ITS POTENTIAL TO HAVE A GREATER POSITIVE IMPACT ON THE LIFE OF THE INDIVIDUAL, OR SOCIETY AS A WHOLE, HAS BEEN WOEFULLY NEGLECTED.

       

       - IT IS PERHAPS THE FIRST MENTAL PROCESS THAT WE USE AND DEVELOP
        AFTER BIRTH.

      - EVERYTHING WE KNOW ABOUT THE WORLD AROUND US DEPENDS

        UPON USING THE RULES OF LOGIC PROPERLY.

     

      - WE COULD NOT LIVE PRACTICAL AND PRODUCTIVE LIVES WITHOUT

        FOLLOWING AND UNDERSTANDING THE NEED FOR PROPER REASONING SKILLS,
        FOR WHICH LOGIC IS AN ESSENTIAL PART OF.

         

      -  REAL PROBLEMS ENSUE WHEN PEOPLE FAIL TO OBEY THE RULES OF LOGIC IN
         EVERY DAY SITUATIONS.

HUMAN BEINGS HAVE DEVELOPED, THROUGH EVOLUTION, A UNIQUE ABILITY TO UNDERSTAND THE WORLD AROUND THEM.  HOWEVER, IT TAKES DISCIPLINE AND INTELLECTUAL INSIGHT TO USE THIS ABILITY TO OBTAIN OPTIMAL BENEFITS.

See Part 2.

LOGIC. WHY SHOULD WE STUDY LOGIC? PT 2. SEEING PEOPLE AND THINGS AS THEY REALLY ARE.

Now you may be Thinking, "If LOGIC IS SO IMPORTANT, WHY DON'T THEY TEACH IT AT AN EARLY AGE, AND HOW COME SO FEW PEOPLE OUTSIDE THE REALMS OF SCIENCE AND PHILOSOPHY KNOW SO LITTLE ABOUT THE SUBJECT?"

Because LOGIC, WHEN STUDIED AND USED PROPERLY, IS THE ULTIMATE "REALITY SHOW."  EVEN SOME OF THOSE IN OCCUPATIONS DEDICATED TO LEARNING AND APPLYING THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD, WILL ABANDON IT WHEN IT COMES TO SITUATIONS OUTSIDE THEIR CHOSEN FIELD.

WHY?

-  LOGIC IS A TOOL, NOT A SET OF BELIEFS.

-  LOGIC DOESN'T DISCRIMINATE.  EITHER YOUR 

ARGUMENT IS PROPERLY STRUCTURED AND VALID,

OR IT ISN'T, AND THE TRUTH OF YOUR CONCLUSION

RELIES ON THE PREMISES.

-  ALL ASSERTIONS MUST BE DEFENDED, NOTHING

IS ACCEPTED AT FACE VALUE.

-  IF YOUR PREMISES ARE UNSUPPORTABLE, THAN 

YOUR CONCLUSION IS VALUELESS.

HOW DOES THIS TRANSLATE TO REAL LIFE SITUATIONS?

LOGIC SHINES A LIGHT ON;

-  PREJUDICE.

-  PRECONCEIVED CONCLUSIONS.

-  IRRATIONAL LINES OF THOUGHT.

-  UNJUSTIFIED DECISIONS THAT HIGHLIGHT 

   A LACK OF KNOWLEDGE AND IGNORANCE  

   OF THE SUBJECT MATTER.

In other words;

All the RHETORIC, LIP SERVICE, AND NEWS

BITES IN THE WORLD ABOUT EQUALITY, JUSTICE

RIGHTS, etc., will mean nothing if they cannot stand up

to the Scrutiny of APPLIED LOGIC.

LOGIC DOES NOT FOCUS ON WHAT YOU 

BELIEVE TO BE TRUE...

...BUT WHY YOU BELIEVE IT.