P H I L O S O P H Y

Logic
GROUP 3
Philosophy of Logic, the study, from a
philosophical perspective, of the nature and types of
logic, including problems in the field and the relation of
logic to mathematics and other disciplines. Philosophy of
logic is devoted to the investigation, analysis and
reflection on issues arising in logic, while philosophical
logic concerns questions about reference, truth,
quantification, existence, entailment, predication, identity,
modality, and necessity.
Origin of the term “Logic”
The term logic comes from the Greek word logos. The
variety of senses that logos possesses may suggest the
difficulties to be encountered in characterizing the nature
and scope of logic. Among the partial translations of logos,
there are “sentence,” “discourse,” “reason,” “rule,” “ratio,”
“account”, “rational principle,” and “definition.” Not unlike this
proliferation of meanings, the subject matter of logic has
been said to be the “laws of thought,” “the rules of right
reasoning,” “the principles of valid argumentation,” “the use of
certain words labelled ‘logical constants’,” “truths (true
propositions) based solely on the meanings of the terms
they contain,” and so on.
Overview of Rationality
Rationality has been eminent since ancient times as what
sets humans apart. — what distinguishes us from the “beasts
of the field”— is that we are rational. We manifest our
rationality by engaging in activities that involve reasoning—
making claims and backing them up with reasons, acting in
accord with reasons and beliefs, drawing inferences from
available evidence, and so on.
Importance of Reasoning
Reasoning is fundamental to human thought, involving
the construction of arguments through claims and
inferences. Logic serves as the backbone of reasoning,
aiming to distinguish between well-founded and poorly
constructed arguments.
Logic vs. Effectiveness
Good reasoning is not necessarily effective reasoning. In
fact, as we shall see in a subsequent chapter on logical
fallacies, bad reasoning is pervasive and often extremely
effective—in the sense that people are often persuaded
by it.

In logic, the standard of goodness is not effectiveness in

the sense of persuasiveness, but rather correctness
according to logical rules.
Logic as a Discipline
Logic is a systematic study of the principles of valid inference and
correct reasoning. It provides a framework and rules to evaluate the
validity of arguments, ensuring a structured approach to discerning
sound reasoning from fallacious arguments. It is relatively easy to
discern some order in the above embarrassment of explanations. Some
of the characterizations are closely related to each other. When logic is
said, for instance, to be the study of the laws of thought, these laws
cannot be the empirical (or observable) regularities of actual human
thinking as studied in psychology; they must be laws of correct
reasoning, which are independent of the psychological idiosyncrasies
of the thinker.
Basic Notions
At the heart of logic are key concepts: reasoning (the
process of drawing conclusions), claims (assertions
made), and propositions (the meaning behind
statements). Understanding these elements is
necessary in analyzing and constructing logical
arguments.
Propositions
Propositions are the building blocks of logical
arguments, capable of being true or false. They range
from concrete factual claims to abstract moral
assertions, forming the premises from which
conclusions are drawn.
Fundamental Unit - Argument
An argument in logic is a set of propositions intended to
support a conclusion. This structure underscores the
essence of logical reasoning: the transition from
premises to a supported conclusion through valid
inferences.

Analysis of Arguments
Analyzing an argument involves identifying its premises
and conclusion. Consider the argument against
McDonald's: 'Fast food is unhealthy; therefore,
McDonald's is detrimental to health.' Here, the premise
leads to a conclusion through logical inference.
Enthymemes
Enthymemes are arguments with implicit premises or
conclusions. For example, questioning the existence of an
all-loving God due to the presence of evil implies an
unstated premise: 'If evil exists, an all-loving God cannot.'
This unstated premise is crucial for the argument's logic.

Deepening Argument Analysis

Beyond identifying premises and conclusions, deep
analysis explores the underlying assumptions and the
robustness of the argument's structure, assessing the
strength of the connections between the argument's
components.
Logic and Philosophy
Philosophy interrogates the essence of a good
argument. Logic is instrumental in this inquiry, offering
tools to evaluate, refine, and construct arguments,
thereby playing a pivotal role in philosophical
discussions and analyses. Logic and philosophy are
deeply intertwined. Logic not only guides in answering
philosophical questions but also raises its own,
particularly in the philosophy of logic, concerning the
nature and limits of logical reasoning.
Philosophical Questions in Logic
Logic prompts philosophical questions such as the
nature of logical formality, the truth values of
propositions, and the criteria for logical validity. These
questions highlight the depth and complexity of logical
analysis.

-Why is the sky blue?

thank
you