Why study logic?

Question

Somebody said that logic helps us think just as much as biology helps us digest. So here is the question: how is studying logic useful?

Answer 1

The answer is culturally specific. If you are from a culture with a pictographic language (like traditional China) where reality is composed of a multitude of things only loosesly related, you don't need to study logic (which is related to words), but analogies, associations, and so on.

If you are from a Western culture, the original intent of studying logic (which was at the time defined as the art of rhetoric), the intent of studying logic was so you could demolish your opponent's arguments (pre-Socratics). After Artistotle framed the world as a world of substances in causal relationships, he formulated the rules of logic that stood for two thousand years or more, as the study of how to formulate valid (verbal) arguments and recognize invalid ones. If one inhabits a theoretical, abstract universe such as that in the West, one needs logic so as to be able to frame valid theories and test their consequences (deduced consequences) and for this one needs rules for valid deductions (and inductions, for that matter). Without a thorough understanding of either or both deductive and inductive logic, one will never be able to be a scientist, technologist, engineer, and so on (all one will be able to do is "argue" using invalid argument forms as found among the religionists and come up with untestable "theories")...

The person who said that biology doesn't help digestion and logic doesn't help thinking clearly knew not what he/she was talking about. Logic doesn't help you to think, it helps you to think validly; biology may not aid digestion, but it might aid the selection of things to be digested.

Answer 2

Are you taking a philosophy/symbolic logic class and are confused?

Well, if you're an engineer of any sort, or a programmer of any sort, knowing logic can actually help out quite a bit...

You'd be surprised how elementary, symbolic logic can actually help in some real-life situations.

How does it help? Well, a formalized system of logic helps us make decisions and rationalize things when we have very little information, or when we can't decide things by ourselves.

Well, in the context of everyday life. If you need a more barebones answer, I can say that you need logic if you want to get an engineering or computing degree :)

Combined with good assumptions, and a little intuition, logic can be a powerful thing.

Answer 3

Hi,
That person is wrong! Logic is about both how the world works and how we think. If there were not such commonality then it is hard to see how we could understand or even function in the world. Logic is more than just the ability to solve problems and make valid reasoning's, although, it is true that studying logic will help you reason. The real difference between us and animals is our conceptual ability, the lizard sunning itself on a rock has no concept of rock, see no similarity between one rock and another. Such conceptual ability develops somewhere as animals become more advanced but really only develops highly with the development of language. It is conceptual ability that allows language and language enhances conceptual ability. Logic is the framework upon which language hangs that allows the, inherently meaningless sounds, convey meaning between speakers of a language. Understanding logic helps to form a finer conceptual "grain" and to eliminate erroneous concepts and conceptual frameworks

So advantages of studying logic

Enhances problem solving ability
Enhances reasoning ability
Enhances critical facilities
Enhances conceptual ability

Answer 4

Actually, logic is something that will makes your mind accept and digest complicated things. Studying logic can also help us to remember something better. Therefore my answer to your question is yes, it is useful to study logic.

Answer 5

University course in Critical Thinking, Philosophy, Comparative Religions, Anthropology, History

Answer 6

Studying logic (ex: a + b = c) helps us develop reasoning power which will be useful for future classes, careers, and daily life.

Answer 7

I had to take and Intro to Logic my freshamn year in college. I understood it to be the basis for functional arguements. Since I disagree with everyone on everything it seems, I walked away with the ability to say: "I'm always right. Let me show you why with a diagram."

Answer 8

Because it help us understand arguments, and why they exist. By understanding logic, we understand just a little more the human mind.

Answer 9

You're tweaking and awakening a part of your brain that helps you solve complex issues. Logic is what you use for problem solving.

Answer 10

logic helps you to get reason for your ques. even if your problem is complicated logic helps you connect the hints or events and you get your answer