SAN MATEO MUNICIPAL COLLEGE

Gen. Luna St. Guitnang Bayan I, San Mateo, Rizal

Tel No. (02) 997-9070
www.smmc.edu.ph

MODULE 1 INTRODUCTION TO
LOGIC
[Cite your source here.]

Marilou A. Laserna MBA

INSTRUCTOR
MODULE DURATION 

● Week 1 to 2 – Synchronous Meeting and Asynchronous Learning

● Messenger (direct messages or group chat) Search: MARILOU LASERNA

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Upon completing this module, you are expected to: 

● Introduce Logic and its meaning

● To understand the history of logic and its origin.
● Know where does logic came from in the brain.
● To differentiate logic and emotion
● To enumerate the division of logic
● To know how we use logic in our daily life

INPUT INFORMATION 

I. INTRODUCTION TO LOGIC AND ITS MEANING

The origins of Logic are with the Greeks who were interested in the nature of truth.

As art, Logic is the tool of all sciences. The Scholastics considered it as “the art of all
other arts because it is used in every science and in every practical endeavor. As Art, Logic
is “techne.” It constitutes personal, objective and subjective characteristics that involve
ingenious devices to aid the person in his critical thinking mnemonic devices to aid
memory and to reinforce coherence and facilitate perfection in the work of an artist. As
science, Logic studies the logical properties involved in the act of knowledge such as the
logic of notions or concepts, the logic of judgment, the logic of reasoning, and the logic of
science. As science, Logic is a systematized body of logical truths and principles governing
the habit of critical thinking and reasoning. Aristotle was the first logician; in that he
demonstrated the principles of reasoning by employing variables to show the underlying
logical form of an argument.

Logic, on the other hand, may be defined as the science that evaluates arguments. All
of us encounter arguments in our everyday life. We read arguments in books, magazines
and newspapers, hear them on television, and formulate them when communicating with
friends, parents, juniors and senior colleagues. The aim of logic therefore is to develop a
system of methods and principles that we may use as criteria for evaluating the arguments
of others and as guides in constructing arguments of our own. Among the benefits to be
expected from the study of logic is an increase in confidence that we are making sense
when we criticize the arguments of others and when we advance arguments of our own. An
argument, as it occurs in logic, is a group of statements, one or more of which (the
premises) are claimed to provide support for, or reasons to believe, one of the others (the
conclusion). All arguments may be placed in one of two basic groups: those in which the
premises really do support the conclusion and those in which they do not, even though they
are claimed to. The purpose of logic, as the science that evaluates arguments, is thus to
develop methods and techniques that allow us to distinguish good arguments from bad. As
is apparent from the above definition, the term ‘’’argument‟‟ has a very specific meaning in
logic.

Figure 1

What is Logic?

• Logic is deduced from the Greek word Logike denoting a treatise on matters
pertaining to thought.
• Logic (from the Greek "logos", which has a variety of meanings including word,
thought, idea, argument, account, reason or principle) is the study of reasoning,
or the study of the principles and criteria of valid inference and demonstration.
It attempts to distinguish good reasoning from bad reasoning.
 • According to St. Thomas Aquinas defines Logic as the art that directs the
reasoning process so that man may attain knowledge of the truth in an orderly
way, with ease and without error.
• According to Aristotle, defined logic as "new and necessary reasoning", "new"
because it allows us to learn what we do not know, and "necessary" because its
conclusions are inescapable. It asks questions like "What is correct
reasoning?", "What distinguishes a good argument from a bad one?", "How
can we detect a fallacy in reasoning? “

Logic is an integral part of philosophy. It is for this reason that we commence our
study of logic by analyzing the nature of philosophy.
Today, philosophy is used to signify the critical evaluation of the facts of experience.
The keyword in this definition is evaluation, rather than critical. This is so since
philosophy differs from the positive sciences, especially in that it does not analyze, describe
or criticize, but especially assigns values to human experience.

II. HISTORY OF LOGIC

Zeno the Stoic coined the actual name Logic. He established the rules of
argumentation to clarify the nature of concepts by using the Prior and Posterior analytics
of Aristotle’s logical works. This endeavor degenerated because of the clever rhetoric and
subtle persuasion of the Sophists. Socrates refuted the error by vindicating the value of
concepts in knowing reality. Plato, the most distinguished student of Socrates,
philosophized the truth is the same as the ultimate, ideal reality. Aristotle corrected this
error. He wrote six treatises on Logic known as the “Organon.” He stated that ideas are
mental operations that exist only in the mind. He is considered as the founder of science
Aristotle was the first logician; in that he demonstrated the principles of reasoning by
employing variables to show the underlying logical form of an argument

III. LOGIC AND TRUTH

Thinking is most important in our search for knowledge and the pursuit of truth.
But sometimes it happens that our thinking is not correct. Besides, the human mind is
finite and imperfect. Hence, we are not fully perceiving the truth about reality.
Sometimes, we allow our emotions to rule over our reason and prevent ourselves
from having a true vision of the truth. When emotion is on the throne, then, reason is
overthrown. We often allow our personal prejudices, idiosyncrasies, and interest prevail,
thereby coloring our vision of the truth. It is a case of looking at the world through colored
glasses. Such phenomena preclude an objective examination of the facts and evidence
before us. More often than not, we are in so much hurry, and as a consequence, we make
baseless conclusions. There are also times when we make conclusions on the basis of false
assumptions. And, even when the premises are true, we do not place them in the proper
order and form, and this inevitably results in untrue and valid conclusions. These and
many more reasons keep us from thinking correctly so that instead of attaining truth, we
cling to error and hold on to falsehood.

But the situation is not that hopeless. We can still restore logical normalcy. We can
make better use of our power to critically think and avoid or minimize errors. We can
follow certain standards, logical laws and rules in order to think correctly, and proceed
properly in our search for truth. Logic is accurately the discipline that enables us to think
with ease, order, and precision. It assists us in our endeavor to think correctly and attain
truth more securely.

Where does logic came from in the brain?

The frontal lobe is at the front of the head and is responsible for planning, organization,
logical thinking, reasoning and managing emotions.

Figure 2

Is Logic an emotion?
There are two competing thought processes that drive decisions: logic and emotions.
Although the two can occasionally be intertwined, deciphering whether your choices are
made by logic or emotions can be an important part of ensuing that you’re making the best
decisions for your long term satisfaction.
According to Psychology Today, most decisions are driven by emotions, even though most
people think that they approach decision making through logic. Emotions are powerful. But
logic – the ability to make decisions using sound and rational thought processes – is
something that may be missing from your life.

The Flaws of Both Decision Making Tools

Both of these decision making tools have their strengths. Logic is, by default, a method of
making decisions that uses sound and rational decision making to find the best conclusion.
Emotions, on the other hand, are true feeling. If logic is the brain, emotion is the heart, and
the heart is where happiness is.

But what about their flaws? Both decision making tools are flawed as well. Some of these
flaws are explored below.
Logic:
Requires Emotion – Logic cannot always be completed without emotion, especially with
regards to decisions that affect life satisfaction. After all, relationships, jobs, and other
major decisions are not always just pen and paper decisions. For example, logically a
partner may look great on paper but they do not create feelings of love and excitement. If
so, they may not be the right partner.
Requires Energy – Logic isn’t always a simple process. The amount of mental and physical
energy that goes into a logical decision may be more than the time and attention allows.
Making a logical conclusion quickly, for example, can be very difficult.

Emotions:
Can Lie – How you feel may not actually be what is best for you or what your heart really
wants. For example, many former partners – after they break up – feel like they miss their
relationship. Some may even give in and get back together. But this can be a mistake, as
missing someone (an emotion) is common after any relationship simply because a part of
your life has changed.
May Be Irrational – By default, emotions aren’t controlled by logic. Thus, you can have
emotions that are completely irrational given the situation. Anxiety and depression are
examples of extreme versions of this problem.
In addition, emotions can change the way you think and control behavior, which may mean
that your “logic” may be affected by emotions. This happens often to those struggling with
mental health conditions, like depression and anxiety, where their emotions make them
think in illogical ways.
 Figure 3

Thinking Logically Through Your Emotions

FIGURE 4

Thinking logically in today’s world can seem virtually impossible amidst feelings of anger,
anxiety or sadness evoked by news headlines or social media.  It is often difficult to become
aware of and think through these feelings before saying or doing anything irrational. 
However, it is important in both personal and professional situations to develop the ability
to think rationally, even when your emotions are telling you otherwise.
  The following are some tips to help you recognize the difference between emotional and
rational thought.

Pause and Breathe

Recognize that what you feel is a response to your own thoughts about what is happening
to you, or around you. While your initial understanding of something may be correct, there
are times when you may have misheard or misunderstood. It is important to pause and give
yourself time to understand a situation before reacting.

Remove yourself from the situation

Sometimes anger or anxiety can be so overwhelming that you aren’t able to pause and
breathe to think rationally about what is happening.  While your feelings may be justified, it
is important to recognize that this is the proper time to remove yourself from the situation. 
By removing yourself, you can take time to evaluate your emotional response and think
through the circumstances.  Determine if there are other ways to view what is happening, if
you are making any assumptions or if you may have misread the situation.

Avoid “child logic”

Child logic is emotional thinking disguised by flawed logic. An example of this is when we
expect perfection from ourselves, even though part of being human means we are not
perfect. “Failure” or the inability to live up to our expectation of perfection can cause
extreme anger, shame or hopelessness.  It’s important to remember to have realistic
expectations for yourself and the people around you.  While you may still experience some
disappointment or sadness, being realistic keeps you from feeling unnecessary levels of
these emotions. 

Respond Logically
Take time to think through each of your potential responses and understand their possible
consequences. Evaluate how those consequences will bring you closer or further from your
end goal.  Determine if it is beneficial to project your anger in a more constructive manner
or let go of it altogether. Calculate your response accordingly. 

How do we use Logic in everyday life?

The logic used to explain miracles of everyday life, thinking logically helps man to question
the functioning of everything around us, the logic used to argue and is somehow a thought
an idea that influences us for an action we do in our daily lives.

It provides a way for us to learn from new experiences through the process of
continual self-assessment. Critical thinking, then, enables us to form sound beliefs and
judgments, and in doing so, provides us with a basis for a 'rational and reasonable'
emotional life.
IV. DIVISION OF LOGIC
The division of logic corresponds to three acts of the mind which are apprehension,
judgment, and reasoning. The following is the synoptic schema containing the divisions of
logic.

Mental Act Mental Product External Sign Logical Issue

Apprehension Idea Term Predicability

Judgment Enunciation Proposition Predication
Reasoning Argument Syllogism Inference

Table 1. The Divisions of Logic

As can be seen from Table 1, there are basically three divisions of logic as shown in
each row. The mental expression which falls in between the mental act and the external
sign is often labeled with the name of the one or of the other.
⮚ Simple Apprehension is the act by which the mind without judging, forms a concept
of something
⮚ Judgment is the act by which the mind affirms or denies something about something
else. A judgment however, gives the mind a complex object.
⮚ Reasoning or Inference is the act by which from the two given judgments, the mind
passes to a third judgment distinct from these, but implicitly contained in them.

Examples of:
A. Simple apprehension;

Keeping in mind our example of the chair, simple apprehension is the first mental act and
no affirmation or denial about the chair should occur. In other words, if we think, “The
chair is brown,” then we are engaging in judgment and have moved to the second mental
act of logic.

B. Judgement;

The definition of judgment is an opinion, decision or a sentence given by a court of law. An

example of judgment is a blonde woman automatically being treated as dumb. An example
of judgment is someone being sentenced to two months in prison for a crime committed.
c. Reasoning:

Example reasoning involves using specific instances as a basis for making a valid
conclusion. In this approach, specific instances 1, 2, and 3 lead to a generalized conclusion
about the whole situation. For example: I have a Sony television, a Sony stereo, a Sony car
radio, a Sony video system, and they all work

TABLE OF CONTENTS
I. INTRODUCTION TO LOGIC AND ITS MEANING

II. HISTORY OF LOGIC

III. LOGIC AND TRUTH

i. Where does logic came from in brain?

ii. Is logic an emotion

iii. The flaws of both Decision Making tool

iv. How do we use logic in everyday life?

v. How logic helpful in our daily life

IV. DIVISION OF LOGIC

i. Apprehension

ii. Judgment

iii. Reasoning