How does logic help in attaining truth?

Answer 1

Logic is the basis of deductive reasoning.

Answer 2

If something is not logic, it cannot be true.
So the reality is that it is not logically possible for example that nothing comes from nothing. It can also not be that everything the universe, the planets, this earth could develop so specific without any guiding force involved in it. It is logically not possible as also many famous scientists, one of them Einstein have proved.
So it is helpful to use logic to find the truth and blind faith does not help hereby. Truth will always withstand painstaking questions and thinking. Only blind faith does not need that. But logic also accepts the existance of a reality beyond our material world, a reality which we only can prove with tools fit to the components of this sphere. What use would it have to use a shovel to work and understand water, so we cannot work and understand the ethereal world with our physical senses but with what is ethereal in us. What is the logical explanation for having a sixth sense, or for feeling something from far away. Even that must have a logical reason and it has.

Answer 3

Logic is:

The art of non-contradictory identification.

Logic is based on reality which is truth. You know that something cannot be where it isn't. That would be illogical right? So logic helps us identify contradictions. Once you know a fact of reality then you confront someone telling you the opposite, you would identify it as a contradiction and you could tell him he is wrong. Similarly, if you know that things fall when pushed off a cliff, but you've never tried pushing a piece of lead shaped in the form of the word "Truth" off a cliff, could you know that it will fall?
Remember.. you've never done it before... The answer is Yes ... logic would tell you that things more dense then air, when dropped, fall.

Thus we know a few things...

Contradictions cannot exist in reality. ie. A=A a thing is itself and cannot be anything other then itself. a particle is not a lion.. that would be a contradiction.

In ones thinking: "to arrive at a contradiction is to confess an error in ones thinking" - John Galt

If you are interested in logic I suggest reading into Ayn Rand's philosophy of Objectivism. It is the only philosophy that has absolutly no contradictions. Don't take my word for it, read it yourself.

If you don't want to get into philosophy right away a good place to start is her novels. The Fountain Head.

Answer 4

I dont think you do always have to use logic to attain truth. Each person sees their own truth, this is usually found through empirical evidence gained in the course of their life. For example - a truth for me maybe that I am scared of the dark. There is no logic in it necessarily but it is a personal truth nevertheless.

There are levels of truth and as we are human beings this is not always based on logic.

Answer 5

Example: If I tell you that I have two children called John and Jane. One of them is aged 8 and one aged 10. And that Jane is younger that John. Then I ask you how old Jane is... logic will tell you the answer (the truth). Logic clues and problems get so much harder but they are based on that fact that there is one truth. I.E. 2+2 = 4 so 2+2 can not equal 5.

Hope this helps a bit.

Answer 6

Logic is to attaining truth as order of operations is to mathematics; essential, whether we're talking philosophy or politics, or anything.

Here is an online link for a book on logical fallacies, that was most commonly used in college composition classes, but it's widsom is invaluable:

http://www.ditext.com/fearnside/fallacy.html

The authors write in the introduction,""The triumph of rhetoric is like the spread of a virus infection." "Logic is the defense against trickery."

Logic will set you free, and never let you down.

What is the alternative?

Answer 7

You question what's valid, what's not valid.

You reason and give thought to, not making the same mistakes.

One questions, what can be argued, what can't, and why can't it?

If it's not, could it be?

You are on a journey of thought and seeking the truth.

I love the trip along the path of logic.

Relax on the sofa, think it all through and if you are lucky, arrive at the truth. If you don't get there , what the hell, start all over again; it's there somewhere and it's not going to get away.

The truth is you have made me late for a lecture I'm giving, I'll speak to you later...

Answer 8

Logic is the art of conforming one's thoughts to the Law of Identity. In one respect, thoughts have to conform to the Law of Identity, as does everything else. This has to do with the nature of thoughts. Ideas have a different nature than memories, which are different from emotions. In this respect, all thoughts conform to the Law of Identity.

In a different respect, though, it requires focused action to conform to the Law of Identity. Ideas have content. This content is generated by the thinker from perceptual data. However, it may be generated incorrectly. Logic requires the content to be clear and identifiable. It requires that no contradiction exist within the idea.

Logic is used in integrating ideas as well. Again, it is the process of conforming to the Law of Identity. What this means in practice is combining information clearly, and without contradiction. It must be combined into a specific, identifiable package, that doesn't contradict itself.

Logic is the art of non-contradictory identification. It is the mental tool that sets the standard for proper thought. It is the foundation of knowledge. It is the means of understanding and clarity. Without logic, we could not distinguish between the true and the false. We could not throw out bad ideas because we could not judge them as bad. Without logic, our minds would be cluttered with so many absurdities and falsehoods that if there was some truth, it would be lost in the garbage of contradictions, fuzzy thoughts, and non-integrated mental images.

Aristotle's Law of Identity

Everything that exists has a specific nature. Each entity exists as something in particular and it has characteristics that are a part of what it is. "This leaf is red, solid, dry, rough, and flammable." "This book is white, and has 312 pages." "This coin is round, dense, smooth, and has a picture on it." In all three of these cases we are referring to an entity with a specific identity; the particular type of identity, or the trait discussed, is not important. Their identities include all of their features, not just those mentioned.

Identity is the concept that refers to this aspect of existence; the aspect of existing as something in particular, with specific characteristics. An entity without an identity cannot exist because it would be nothing. To exist is to exist as something, and that means to exist with a particular identity.

To have an identity means to have a single identity; an object cannot have two identities. A tree cannot be a telephone, and a dog cannot be a cat. Each entity exists as something specific, its identity is particular, and it cannot exist as something else. An entity can have more than one characteristic, but any characteristic it has is a part of its identity. A car can be both blue and red, but not at the same time or not in the same respect. Whatever portion is blue cannot be red at the same time, in the same way. Half the car can be red, and the other half blue. But the whole car can't be both red and blue. These two traits, blue and red, each have single, particular identities.

The concept of identity is important because it makes explicit that reality has a definite nature. Since reality has an identity, it is knowable. Since it exists in a particular way, it has no contradictions.

Answer 9

Logic does not always get to the truth.

Answer 10

Logic is simply a thought pathway that makes you feel more confident about the answer you knew was right in the first place.