Do most Christians understand the principles of logic?

Question

Do they understand that you have to state a true premise, and follow it with valid inferences in order to always reach a true conclusion?

If I say:

1) PREMISE: If I feel there is a god, then he exists
2) PREMISE: I feel there is a god
3) CONCLUSION: god exists

The conclusion is a valid inference from the premises, but the conclusion is FALSE because premise #1 is false. There could be other reasons for why you feel the way you do, thus the conclusion you reached is not supported.

I make atheists look like idiots? Did I ever say that this is the ONLY argument Christians have for the existence of god? NO. I was trying to illustrate ONE of their arguments. I could go on all day.

they do, where do you think they live?on the moon?
Sherin C:

"if you want to theorise and analise such subjects,why dont you just think about the simple fact that you cant even control your breathing or heartbeats... "

Ok....I just did. What's your point?

Highflyer: Copernicus and the others probably did understand logic. They just chose not to apply it to religion. That's a bad choice.

Answer 1

You are not quite a scholar in logic yourself. You have not logically proven or disproven your first premise; you have assumed it not to be true. Logic is based on applying reason to a set of assumed truths. The following is logically correct:

If the sky is green, the Yankees will win the Super Bowl
The sky is green
Therefore, the Yankees will win the Super Bowl.

The difference between (logical) Atheists and (logical) Christians is the set of assumptions they start with, not their ability or willingness to apply logic to those assumptionss.

Answer 2

If I concede that in the amount of knowledge humans know in regards to the total knowledge in the universe that there is no proof of God's existence, which I obviously don't believe this because I believe there is ample evidence, but for the sake of argument this is true. So given the amount of knowledge humans have compared to the total knowledge of the universe I will say is a whopping 1% and in that one percent there is no proof of God's existence. Would it then be logical and rational to think that in the other 99% of knowledge to which we don't know that the empirical proof for God's existence is there? If so then the atheist stance that there is no proof of God's existence can only be limited to the total knowledge humans have obtained versus total knowledge in the universe, therefore I can conclude that if the atheist stance was based on total knowledge in the universe they could be nothing more than agnostic at best, to be otherwise would be illogical and irrational.

Answer 3

Probably not, but then, most people have not had Philosophy or Boolean Algebra at undergrad level. Incidentally though, would the converse not be true as well:

You can't logically prove the existence of God, but you can't disprove it either, and since there are still open questions in Science, saying that God is not necessary is an unsubstantiated assumption.

Logically then, the only people in the right are Agnostics...

Answer 4

I agree, your logic is correct, your illustration is a proper teaching tool.


Here is another from C.S. Lewis’s famous Trilemma argument:

Jesus Christ is reported to have claimed to be God. The reports are either true or false.

1) If the reports are false, the reporters either knew they were false or they did not.

1a) If they knew they were false, they were liars—but who would die for what they know is a lie?

1b) If they did not know, then it is a big problem to explain how legends could accumulate around a historical figure in such a short time.

2) If the reports are true, then Jesus was either speaking falsely or truly.

2a) If Jesus spoke falsely He either knew it or he did not.

2ai) If He knew, He was a liar.

2aii) If He knew not, then He was a lunatic, since a claim to be God is the most absurd claim a mere creature can make.

2b) If Jesus spoke truly, then He really is God.

Answer 5

Would you agree Copernicus, Galileo, Kepler, Pascal, Farady, Lord Kelvin and Sir Issac Newton understood logic? All famous scientists. All Christians.

Logic is necessary in science. Not so in a Christian's walk. We walk by faith. I know it's not logical. It's not meant to be, nor is it necessary. That's a tough one for the logical mind to swallow. But God doesn't speak to a person's mind. He speaks to the heart. The only god you can experience with your mind is one you create yourself including none at all.

Answer 6

Your question was do most of Christians understand the principles of logic?

my honest opinion is NO

e.g
1) premise: Jesus was not god,neither son of god.
2.)premise:i also feel same.he cant be god.
3) conclusion: bible says he was god and son of god so he is son of god.(that Christians would say,and they use logic in same sense)

Answer 7

I believe they do, but it is relative to their particular situation. In class for instance, Christians and others are equally able to understand even abstract concepts of science and mathematics, and accept them as fact. However, when you apply these same concepts to their religious belief systems you get a total blind rejection. Nothing rational or logical will be accepted in place of their faith, even if they have just agreed to the same concepts on different terms.

Answer 8

Does your logic example conclude that there is no god?

Example:
Premise : I feel there is no God
Conclusion: God does not exist

I suggest that the conclusion has yet to be determined.

Answer 9

I'm currently studying that exact thing in college.

See we want to bring God down to our level. God is real even if every one on earth doesnt' believe it.

Let's say you are the supreme being and you make some laws and everybody says you don't exist and your laws are unethical, does that make their thoughts true? NO.

God is real and the only true ethics are the ones He set in place.
It doesnt matter if you or I believe it or not God does exist and we all will stand before Him one day. Stop trying to belittle God by trying to bring him down to your level.

Answer 10

Some do; many do not and their mindset is such that it interferes with their belief system.

Now realize that faith is not necessarily logical; that's why it's faith.

But it's interesting that some people seem to apply logic (in varying degrees) to parts of their daily life, but not to their belief system.