Page 14 - Future Logic

12 FUTURE LOGIC

1. INTRODUCTION.

1. What is Logic?

a. Definition.
Logic is first of all an instinctive art. We all, from an early age, try to ‘sort out’ our
experiences and ‘make sense’ of the world around us — and this thought process is to varying
degrees ‘logical’. It is logical to the extent that we try to consider the evidence, avoid
contradictions, and try to understand. We call this using ‘common sense’.
On a higher level, logic is a science, which developed out of the self-awareness of
thinkers. They began to wonder why some thoughts were more credible, forceful, and
informative than others, and gradually discerned the patterns of logical intelligence, the
apparatus of reasoning. A logic theorist is called a logician. Note that we also call ‘a logic’, any
specific field of or approach to logical science.
Logic as a field of inquiry has two goals, then. On a practical level, we want it to
provide us with a guide book and exercise manual, which tells us how to think straight and
trains us to do so efficiently. On a theoretical level, we seek the assurance that human
knowledge does, or can be made to, conform to reality. How these methodological and
philosophical tasks are fulfilled, will become apparent as we proceed.
Logic is of value to all individuals, bettering their daily reasoning processes, and thus
their efficacy in dealing with their lives, and their work. It teaches you organization, enabling
you to arrive at the solution of problems more efficiently. It helps you to formulate more
pondered opinions and values.
Be you an artist, a parent, a university professor, a doctor, a psychologist, a civil
engineer, an auto-mechanic, a bank manager, an office worker, an investor, a planner, an
organizer, a negotiator, a lawmaker, judge or lawyer, a politician or journalist, a systems
analyst, a statistician, a computer or robot programmer, whatever your profession or walk of
life — you are sure to find the study of logic useful.
It is of value to scientists of all disciplines, helping them to clarify issues and formulate
solutions to problems. There is no area of human interest or endeavor where logic does not
have a say, and where the study of logic would not be effective in improving our situation.
Logic is worth studying also, for the sheer esthetic joy of it. There is no describing the
mind’s response to this beautiful, colorful achievement of the human spirit. I hope the reader
will have as much fun reading this book, as I had writing it. It can be hard work, but it is
rewarding. My own favorite topic is de-re modality; I find it closer to earth than logical
modality.

b. Method.
Logic teaches us to pursue and verify knowledge. It is based on an acknowledgment of
the possibility of human error, but also implies our ability to correct errors. Where veracity or
falsity is hard to establish, it tells us at least how ‘reasonable’ or ‘forced’ our judgments are.
It is essentially a holistic science, teaching us to take everything into consideration
when forming judgments. Truth is not to be found in a limited viewpoint, but through a global
perspective, an awareness of all aspects of an issue, all proposed answers to a question.
Logical science shows us what to look for in the course of knowledge acquisition, by
listing and clarifying the main forms of relation among things and ideas (whence the name
‘formal logic’). It is the ‘systems analysis’ of human thought.
Logic is concerned with the formalities of reasoning, without so much regard to its
subject-matter. It allows for objective assessments of inferential processes, precisely because
its principles make minimal references to specific contents of thought. It is emotionally
detached, it has no double standards, it is open-minded and fair.
Logic is a tool of interpretation, understanding, and prediction. It is a method for
drawing the maximum amount of useful information from new experiences, or enveloped in
previous knowledge, so as to fully exploit the lessons of the world of matter and mind,
appearing all around us all the time.