Logic

Logic has been taught in our schools and universities for well over eight or nine hundred years.

So we might rightfully ask, what is there about logic that for so many centuries has made men regard it as deserving to be apart of higher education?

The reasons are at least twofold, because logic ---the critical study of reasoning---is a subject having both theoretical interest and practical utility.

Have you ever listened to a preacher, speaker, teacher or leader and said “that doesn't make sense.”

It’s probably because he or she didn't have many logical skills. That is why we are looking at logic because we communicate with large groups of people and we want to make sense at least logically.

Webster defines logic as "a science that deals with the principles and criteria of validity of inference and demonstration".

Considering this definition just noted, validation is a must to prove that something is indeed true or correct. If one was to live by logic alone, could they survive?

There are "what if's" that occur every day. The future itself is an unknown even though we have learned that the past tends to repeat itself.

Logicians Will Always be Thinking

Great thinkers of our past have posed and presented a number of ideals that many wouldn't care to contemplate but yet the answer is important to survive.

Brilliant logicians such as Aristotle and Kurt Godel who are only but two individuals who wanted and needed to validate the reasons to many things that we take for granted every day.

Aristotle

384 BC to 322 BC

Kurt Godel

1906 to 1978

Aristotle is a household name as he was one of the first to study and develop a theory that was able to withstand the test of time.

Even today, his theories are reviewed and critiqued by those who are searching to find an answer as to why Logic is relative.

Kurt Godel is said to achieve accomplishments regarding this science that were as brilliant as those of Aristotle's.

How many others have come and gone who have received this type of compliment?

Although Aristotle and Mr. Godel only studied within several logical areas, there are many to learn and discover more about. Some other forms of this type of science are:

• Extensional (circles, letters or lines)
• Formal (grammar)
• Fuzzy (mathematics)
• Infinitary (non-elementary)

• Philosophical

• Two-Valued (0 and 1; no and yes)

On a Individual Level

Science certainly does play a huge role in many studies of logistics but does it for one individual?

Each individual, whether highly educated or not, will have their own take on any particular topic. Sometimes their way of thinking can be changed if influenced or shown reason as to why they should change their current stance on a particular topic.

However, if one doesn't have substantial proof to alter their current way of thinking, they will not change.

Does it make sense to jump into the pool before the water is added? What about slathering a piece of bread with jelly and then dropping it into the toaster?

Why not put the horse behind the cart instead of in front of it? Simply stated, you could do these things but the outcome will be completely opposite of what you were intending it to be; they just don't make sense.

Many of us learn by trial and error. We become more educated about a process the more we explore and discover about it. We learn what works and what doesn't.

We become aware of the facts about what works and what doesn't when we attempt to accomplish something. Does this work for everything?

Unfortunately it doesn't and this is why there are individuals who are constantly studying and examining the reasons as to why things do work and if they don't, why not.

But can they determine if the sun will be seen again once it disappears for the night? No, this is something that may never be proved.

When you are preaching, your message needs to “make sense” both in the short term and the long over-all term.

When it doesn't preachers say, “I went to flunkersville this morning”—for some reason their message was received as gibberish. So here are forms of logic that will help you keep your message on course:

• Know the difference between “Deductive & Inductive arguments”
• Be familiar with the Traditional Logic of Categorical Sentences
• Understand the “Square of Opposition” (contraries, contradictions, sub-contraries)
• Study “Categorical Syllogism” (found in ordinary discourse)

• The Logic of “Quantification” (this helps in developing longer arguments as in stories, and illustration)

When preaching and the congregation fails to “get it” maybe its because we haven’t “got it” either.

It’s our job to make sure our communication is understood..make sense…and logic

will help us accomplish that task. It’s what our family wants to understand…The Word of God.

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