Nature and Logic Essay -- essays research papers

Philosophy 103 Introduction to logical systemThe Nature of Logic Abstract Some of the uses of logic be illustrated, and deductive arguments are briefly distinguished from inductive arguments. I. Logic is the study of the methods and principles used in distinguishing constitute from incorrect reasoning. B. Logic differs from psychology in being a normative or a normative discipline rather than a descriptive discipline. 1. I.e., it prescribes how one ought to reason its not concerned with how one actu aloney does reason. 2. Logic is concerned with laying down the rules for correct reasoning. 3. Consequently, logic seeks to distinguish good arguments from poor ones. II. How Logic helps reasoning A. "Practice makes better." Some examples of how this course thunder mug help reasoning about the world are as follows. 1. Consider this syllogism All pursual of Senator Jones are in favor of higher taxes.All communists are in favor of higher taxes.All followers of Senator Jones a re communists. It will become easy for us to recognize the fallacy in this argument as the fallacy of the undistributed middle term. 2. Consider this promiscuous argument In spite of the large number of UFO spottings that can be attributed to weather conditions and known aircraft and other factors, thither are hundreds of sightings that cannot be accounted for. Hence, we can safely conclude that UFOs exit. Consider this counter-example In spite of the large number of quarters put under kids pillows which can be attributed to sneaky parents, brothers, sisters, and so forth, there are hundreds of cases which cannot be accounted for. Therefore, the tooth fairy exits. B. As well, this course can help with "the negative approach"that we avoid errors by being sure of them, e.g., being aware of common formal and informal fallacies. 1. Consider the passage, "Napoleon became a great emperor be acquire he was so short." In this short argument, the fallacy of false cause (or non causa pro causa) occurs. If this argument were good, all or most short persons would become great emperors. 2. Consider the passage, " large number in developing countries get overaged as an earlier age, because the average life expectancy is so short in those countries." Due to infant mortality, people do not get erstwhile(a) more quickly the fallacy of division occurs. C. Methods, criteria, and t... ...t bottom I did not believe I had touched that man. The law of probabilities decreed me guiltless of his blood, for in all my small experience with guns I had never hit anything I had tried to hit and I knew I had done my best to hit him." 3. Or deal out extrapolation techniques used in stock market prediction, e.g., the wedge formation. V. What logic is not A. Logic is not the intuition of the laws of thought--in which case it would be a descriptive science like psychology. 1. Sometimes people can come to conclusions reliably without being able to know or explai n how the conclusion was reached. E.g., the so-called intuitive eccentric person of personality. 2. Often people can come to the right conclusion for the wrong reasons. Logic is the study of the modes of correct reasoning as shown in an interpersonal manner. B. Logic is not really the science of reasoning either because the logician is not interested in the psychological processes of reasoning. 1. The logician is interested in the structure of arguments. 2. People infer statements and statements entail other statements. 3. We want to say that the entailment is there even though someone does not at this time understand it.