WHAT IS LOGIC?
Logic is the study of the methods and principles used to distinguish correct from incorrect reasoning.
All our lives, we are giving and accepting reasons. “Reasons are the coin we pay for the beliefs we hold” says Edith Watson Schipper. We must remember that all reasons given are not good reasons. Hence the aim of Logic is to sort out good arguments from bad arguments.
THE SUBJECT-MATTER OF LOGIC
As we know there are many sciences, such as Botany, Zoology, Astronomy, each science has its own subject-matter, each science studies something. Botany studies plants, zoology studies animals, Astronomy studies heavenly bodies and similarly other sciences study other things. What does Logic study? In order to answer this question, let us see the meaning of the word “Logic”. The word “Logic” comes from a Greek word “Logos” which has two meaning;1)thought and 2) word. So logic studies thought; and because thought is always expressed in words, Logic is also concerned with “word as the expression of thought”
THE SCOPE OF LOGIC
The scope or province of a science means its subject-matter __the whole sphere or field of study. We know that Logic studies thought. Logic, however, does not study the processes of thoughts, that is concepts, judgments and reasoning. These, therefore are the subject-matter or scope of logic.
Some logicians say that Logic is only concerned with thought. They are called Conceptualists or Formalists, and there view is known as Conceptualism or Formalism. Hamilton and Mansel support this view. There are other logicians who hold that Logic is concerned only with language. They are called Nominalists or Linguists, and there view is known as Nominalism. Whately may be named as the supporter of this view. There are still other logicians who believe that logic is concerned neither with thought nor with language, but with things. They are called Realists or Materialists and their view is known as Realism or Materialism. Mill and Spencer are the supporter of this view. Thus, Conceptualists, Nominalists and Realists restrict the scope of logic only to thought or language or things. But the truth is that logic does not deal with thought only, or language only, or things only, but with all three. We should, however, remember that logic directly deals with thought, and indirectly with language {through which thought is expressed} and things {to which thought must conform in order to be valid}.
THE VALUE AND USE OF LOGIC
It is sometimes said that the study of logic is useless because those who have never studied logic can reason correctly, while those who have studied logic may not reason correctly at all times. But this is a silly objection. It is just like saying because we live healthily without any knowledge of the science of medicine and because those who have got the knowledge of the science of medicine can fall ill, therefore the science of medicine is useless. It is true that we can do without the science of medicine so long as we are healthy; similarly, it is true that we can do without the science of logic so long as we can reason correctly. But when we fall ill, we will have to consult a doctor, who knows the science of medicine. Similarly when we fall into error, we will have to depend on logic in order to detect the cause of the error and find out how correct thinking can b attained.
Of course, we can, and often do ,reason correctly without the help of our common sense which is a kind of natural logic in us : But common sense is really very uncommon: man is infallible; to err is human. Hence we need the science of logic.
Besides, logic is positively valuable in the following ways__;
1) It sharpens our intellect, develops our reasoning ability, strengthens our understanding, and promotes clear thinking. It affords an excellent exercise for our intellectual powers, and is thus a very good mental gymnastic. It helps as to form a critical habit of mind and thus saves us from being deceived by another’s clever arguing.
2) The utility or use of logic is also very great in the study of other sciences. Every science involves valid thinking, more or less, and thus observes the general principles of correct thinking which are given by logic. Hence we can call logic “the light of all sciences”
3) Logic is also useful in our daily life. We often apply unaware of the principles of logic in our everyday arguments. If we can have carefully studied logic and have a thorough grasp of the principles of correct thinking, we can, by an appeal to reason, convince others and persuade them to believe in the truth of what we hold on strictly logical grounds. Thus logic is very useful art for practical purpose. In other words it is an activity. Above all the possession of a logical mind is the noblest treasure a man can have
4) Whereas the importance of other sciences lies simply in informing our mind, while the importance of logic lies in forming our mind. Other sciences simply fill our mind with miscellaneous facts; in other words they give us information but not formation, they teach us what to think and not how to think. The aim of logic, on the other hand, is not to inform our mind but to form it. The purpose of true education lies not in the miscellaneous facts that we learn, but in the mental discipline which results from them and logic fulfils this purpose admirably well; (importance of logic)
Logic is the study of the methods and principles used to distinguish correct from incorrect reasoning.
All our lives, we are giving and accepting reasons. “Reasons are the coin we pay for the beliefs we hold” says Edith Watson Schipper. We must remember that all reasons given are not good reasons. Hence the aim of Logic is to sort out good arguments from bad arguments.
THE SUBJECT-MATTER OF LOGIC
As we know there are many sciences, such as Botany, Zoology, Astronomy, each science has its own subject-matter, each science studies something. Botany studies plants, zoology studies animals, Astronomy studies heavenly bodies and similarly other sciences study other things. What does Logic study? In order to answer this question, let us see the meaning of the word “Logic”. The word “Logic” comes from a Greek word “Logos” which has two meaning;1)thought and 2) word. So logic studies thought; and because thought is always expressed in words, Logic is also concerned with “word as the expression of thought”
THE SCOPE OF LOGIC
The scope or province of a science means its subject-matter __the whole sphere or field of study. We know that Logic studies thought. Logic, however, does not study the processes of thoughts, that is concepts, judgments and reasoning. These, therefore are the subject-matter or scope of logic.
Some logicians say that Logic is only concerned with thought. They are called Conceptualists or Formalists, and there view is known as Conceptualism or Formalism. Hamilton and Mansel support this view. There are other logicians who hold that Logic is concerned only with language. They are called Nominalists or Linguists, and there view is known as Nominalism. Whately may be named as the supporter of this view. There are still other logicians who believe that logic is concerned neither with thought nor with language, but with things. They are called Realists or Materialists and their view is known as Realism or Materialism. Mill and Spencer are the supporter of this view. Thus, Conceptualists, Nominalists and Realists restrict the scope of logic only to thought or language or things. But the truth is that logic does not deal with thought only, or language only, or things only, but with all three. We should, however, remember that logic directly deals with thought, and indirectly with language {through which thought is expressed} and things {to which thought must conform in order to be valid}.
THE VALUE AND USE OF LOGIC
It is sometimes said that the study of logic is useless because those who have never studied logic can reason correctly, while those who have studied logic may not reason correctly at all times. But this is a silly objection. It is just like saying because we live healthily without any knowledge of the science of medicine and because those who have got the knowledge of the science of medicine can fall ill, therefore the science of medicine is useless. It is true that we can do without the science of medicine so long as we are healthy; similarly, it is true that we can do without the science of logic so long as we can reason correctly. But when we fall ill, we will have to consult a doctor, who knows the science of medicine. Similarly when we fall into error, we will have to depend on logic in order to detect the cause of the error and find out how correct thinking can b attained.
Of course, we can, and often do ,reason correctly without the help of our common sense which is a kind of natural logic in us : But common sense is really very uncommon: man is infallible; to err is human. Hence we need the science of logic.
Besides, logic is positively valuable in the following ways__;
1) It sharpens our intellect, develops our reasoning ability, strengthens our understanding, and promotes clear thinking. It affords an excellent exercise for our intellectual powers, and is thus a very good mental gymnastic. It helps as to form a critical habit of mind and thus saves us from being deceived by another’s clever arguing.
2) The utility or use of logic is also very great in the study of other sciences. Every science involves valid thinking, more or less, and thus observes the general principles of correct thinking which are given by logic. Hence we can call logic “the light of all sciences”
3) Logic is also useful in our daily life. We often apply unaware of the principles of logic in our everyday arguments. If we can have carefully studied logic and have a thorough grasp of the principles of correct thinking, we can, by an appeal to reason, convince others and persuade them to believe in the truth of what we hold on strictly logical grounds. Thus logic is very useful art for practical purpose. In other words it is an activity. Above all the possession of a logical mind is the noblest treasure a man can have
4) Whereas the importance of other sciences lies simply in informing our mind, while the importance of logic lies in forming our mind. Other sciences simply fill our mind with miscellaneous facts; in other words they give us information but not formation, they teach us what to think and not how to think. The aim of logic, on the other hand, is not to inform our mind but to form it. The purpose of true education lies not in the miscellaneous facts that we learn, but in the mental discipline which results from them and logic fulfils this purpose admirably well; (importance of logic)
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