Foundations of Logic
Our character is judged by our actions. Our actions are an outworking of our thoughts. Our thoughts are derived from our beliefs. Our beliefs are founded upon what we accept as true and what we reject as false.
So what we believe is fundamental to who we are and who we shall become.
But what is the foundation of our beliefs? Well... have you ever continued to believe something you know to be a lie? I mean truly believed something you know to be a lie. Belief enough for it to affect your actions and your character? No. Once a lie is found out, it is discarded as false. This is natural and logical, for no matter how emotional we may be, we still are logical beings. Whether we deny our emotions through logic, or rely upon our emotions and interpret it with logic. For even emotions must be logically rationalized before it can be accepted.
Further so, how do we know what we believe to be true or false? How do we decide if something is a lie? We decide through rationale. Through logic.
But can we prove proof? Can we logically rely upon logic as the foundation for our beliefs, our actions, our character, our being? Is it reliable? Is truth always true? Is logic always logical?
This may sound strange to ask such a thing, but there is no way to prove logic. For to prove it you must use a proof, which is logic. We know a man’s testimony about himself is the lowest form of proof there can be, for there is a high scale of bias. You cannot testify about yourself in court without doubt residing on you. Logic is one who testifies about itself. We cannot get around using logic on logic. Without logic there is no way to prove logic. It is circular, but we must trust inherently in it, for there is no other way to rationalize. Without rationale, there is no belief, with no belief there is no movement. Without movement there is decay, and with decay comes death. But then, that is a logical progression. You see the dilemma.
But there is a hierarchy of logic, for some logic is based upon more basic logic. For instance, If...then statements rely upon a more basic form of logic that says that once was will be again. And what is consistent, as long as no outside influence acts upon it, will remain consistent. Arguments are based upon inferences which are based upon more and more basic logical foundations. For instance, Marxism is a theory that has many arguments filled with different truth claims backed up with many inferences which have further basics behind that. One such inference is that Man is essentially good. This is an assumption that relies upon observation. Observation is based upon cause and effect. Cause and effect relies upon if...then statements, which is based on what was said afore.
So what are some of the basics? What are the foundations, the most basic tenants of logic?
1) Principle of Constancy - Logic dictates that an object remains in existence when it is removed from our purview.
- Your mom does not cease to exist when she leaves the room.
2) Principle of Consistency - That which is a constant today will be a constant tomorrow. (Caveat - Granted no outside force is applied)
- The sun will rise tomorrow
3) Principle of Contradiction - Two things can not be identical opposites
- It can not be both true and not true at the same time
(Some include the principle of causality to the main three. I leave it out here because in processing, the principle of causality is actually a combination of the Constancy and Consistency principles The causality principle states that as one tends to follow another, that one directly leads to the other. I also tend to leave this one out because although it is a logical conclusion we come to quite often, it is not always true. If I get up before the sun rises every day, that does not mean that I make the sun rise. That is evident, but if I put my hand on a hot stove and then my hand gets burned, there is a foundational, logical conclusion that the stove burned my hand.)
Jared Williams
So what we believe is fundamental to who we are and who we shall become.
But what is the foundation of our beliefs? Well... have you ever continued to believe something you know to be a lie? I mean truly believed something you know to be a lie. Belief enough for it to affect your actions and your character? No. Once a lie is found out, it is discarded as false. This is natural and logical, for no matter how emotional we may be, we still are logical beings. Whether we deny our emotions through logic, or rely upon our emotions and interpret it with logic. For even emotions must be logically rationalized before it can be accepted.
Further so, how do we know what we believe to be true or false? How do we decide if something is a lie? We decide through rationale. Through logic.
But can we prove proof? Can we logically rely upon logic as the foundation for our beliefs, our actions, our character, our being? Is it reliable? Is truth always true? Is logic always logical?
This may sound strange to ask such a thing, but there is no way to prove logic. For to prove it you must use a proof, which is logic. We know a man’s testimony about himself is the lowest form of proof there can be, for there is a high scale of bias. You cannot testify about yourself in court without doubt residing on you. Logic is one who testifies about itself. We cannot get around using logic on logic. Without logic there is no way to prove logic. It is circular, but we must trust inherently in it, for there is no other way to rationalize. Without rationale, there is no belief, with no belief there is no movement. Without movement there is decay, and with decay comes death. But then, that is a logical progression. You see the dilemma.
But there is a hierarchy of logic, for some logic is based upon more basic logic. For instance, If...then statements rely upon a more basic form of logic that says that once was will be again. And what is consistent, as long as no outside influence acts upon it, will remain consistent. Arguments are based upon inferences which are based upon more and more basic logical foundations. For instance, Marxism is a theory that has many arguments filled with different truth claims backed up with many inferences which have further basics behind that. One such inference is that Man is essentially good. This is an assumption that relies upon observation. Observation is based upon cause and effect. Cause and effect relies upon if...then statements, which is based on what was said afore.
So what are some of the basics? What are the foundations, the most basic tenants of logic?
1) Principle of Constancy - Logic dictates that an object remains in existence when it is removed from our purview.
- Your mom does not cease to exist when she leaves the room.
2) Principle of Consistency - That which is a constant today will be a constant tomorrow. (Caveat - Granted no outside force is applied)
- The sun will rise tomorrow
3) Principle of Contradiction - Two things can not be identical opposites
- It can not be both true and not true at the same time
(Some include the principle of causality to the main three. I leave it out here because in processing, the principle of causality is actually a combination of the Constancy and Consistency principles The causality principle states that as one tends to follow another, that one directly leads to the other. I also tend to leave this one out because although it is a logical conclusion we come to quite often, it is not always true. If I get up before the sun rises every day, that does not mean that I make the sun rise. That is evident, but if I put my hand on a hot stove and then my hand gets burned, there is a foundational, logical conclusion that the stove burned my hand.)
Jared Williams
