LOGIC & Legal Reasoning
LOGIC
LOGIC IS THE BRANCH OF
PHILOSOPHY
Philosophy is the combination of two greek
words:
1. Philo
2. Sophia
Philo means Love of something or Search and
Pursuit.
It is liking for or affinity for something.
Sophia means wisdom, cleverness, knowledge
or knowledgeableness.
What is Wisdom?
Wisdom means acquisition of knowledge which
is sincerely and practically applied for correct
use.
Wisdom is that “if we have a knife” and we use
it for cutting fruits not for cutting throats.
What is Knowledge?
According to Socrates:
“Knowledge is the justified true belief and
proven evidence”.
Water is the combination of Oxygen and
Hydrogen.
This is the justified true belief and proven evidence.
So it is knowledge about water.
Definition of Philosophy
According to UMAR KHAYAM:
The Universe is like an “Old manuscript” who’s
first and last page are lost.
Philosophy is the study of finding those lost
pages.
According to Socrates, Philosophy started from a
simple process called “Wondering”
Philosophy: Philosophy is the systematic
inquiry into the principles and presupposition
of any field of inquiry.
Branches of Philosophy
1. Epistemology:
Study of nature of human knowledge.
2. Metaphysics:
Study of nature of being and beings.
3. Ethics:
Study of morality and human act.
4. Psychology:
Study of human mind and its condition.
5. Cosmology:
Study of the nature of the universe.
6. Sociology :
Study of man and his society.
7. Theodicy:
Study of the nature of God and defense of God’s
goodness.
8. Aesthetics or Esthetics:
Study or the theory of beauty and art.
9. Logic:
Study of the methods and principles used in
distinguishing correct from incorrect reasoning.
LOGIC
LOGIC comes from the Greek word “LOGOS”
Which mean:
1. Sentence
2. Discourse
3. Reason
4. Rule
5. Ratio
Definition of Logic
Logic is the study of methods, techniques and
principles used to differentiate correct reasoning
from incorrect reasoning.
Logic is the study of methods, techniques and
principles used to differentiate good or valid
arguments from bad and invalid arguments.
Objectives of Study
1. Sharpen the intellect of the students.
2. Develop their learning ability.
3. Strengthening their understanding; and
4. Promote their thinking.
Importance of Logic
1. No other instrument can successfully replace
reason.
2. Our well being depends upon knowing what
truly is the case.
3. Essential for decision.
History of Logic
1. ARISTOTLE:
A Greek Philosopher (384-322 BC) was the
founder of Logic and credited with the
earliest study of formal logic. He is regarded
as the Father of Logic.
He became successful in separating Logic
from the totality of Philosophy.
His six treatises which were collectively
known as “Organon” became the bible for
logic study during the Medieval and up to the
Modern Time.
The Organon a Greek word which, means:
"instrument, tool, organ"
1. Contrary: All S are P
No S is P
2. Subcontrary: Some S are P
Some S are not P
3. Subaltern: All S are P
No S is P
Some S are not P
4. Subaltern: No S is P
Some S are not P
5. Contradictory: Some S are P
No S is P
6. Contradictory: All S are P
Some S are not P
2. THEOPHRASTUS :
A Greek Philosopher (371-328 BC) and a
student of Aristotle. Aristotle’s legacy
extended all the way to the writings of
Theophrastus.
He added a treatise entitled Hypothetical
Reasoning.
3. PORPHYRY:
A Greek Philosopher (234-305 CE) and a
student of Plotinus (204-270 CE) wrote an
introduction to the categories of Aristotle
which is some times referred to as Isagoge.
ISSAGOGE:
A combination of three Greek words:
1. Issa You
2. Go I
3. Ge Value/Result
The Isagoge, in fact, is only concerned with a
simple and rather mechanical treatment of five
concepts that had been much used by Aristotle.
Five Concepts
1. The concepts of genus, or kind (as animal is the
genus, or kind, under which Socrates falls).
2. Species, or sort (Socrates is a man).
3. Differentia, or distinguishing characteristic
(rationality distinguishes humans from other
members of the genus animal).
4. Property (being capable of laughter was said to
be a “property” of humans inasmuch as all and
only humans are capable of laughter)
5. Accident, or characteristic in general (as it might
be an accident of Socrates to be pale).
4. BOETHIUS:
A Roman Philosopher (477-524 CE)
translated the Organon of Aristotle from
Greek to Latin and as such has made a
profound influence on the medieval study of
Logic.
Other proponents of Aristotelian Logic worthy of
mentioning were Avicenna (980-1037CE) and
Averroes (Ibn Rushid 1126-1196 CE).
Both Muslim Philosophers wrote the
commentaries about the nature of the traditional
logic.
St. THOMAS AQUINAS (1225-1274 AD).
An Italian philosopher is a most influential
figure in connection to the development of logic.
He was named as the Angelic Doctor of Church.
He introduced the logical ideas of Aristotle to the
Christian World.
FRANCIS BACON (1561-1626 AD)
An English philosopher introduced a new tool
for rational mind which is called Inductive
Reasoning which he referred to a Scientific
Method.
JOHN STUART MILL (1806-1873 AD).
A British philosopher through his work entitled
System Logic made an explanation by using the
same kind of reasoning (Inductive Reasoning)
and eventually provided the empirical sciences
with sets of formula and criteria to serve their
purpose.
PEDAGOGICAL NATURE OF
LOGIC
Logic as a branch of Philosophy is considered
by many to be the foundation of philosophy
since its function is to train the thinking mind
toward the formulation of arguments necessary
for the study of their coherence, truthfulness,
and validity.
Logic guides the mind toward the attainment
of correct and valid inferences.
Aristotle claims that logic prepares man to a
more comprehensive study of other sciences.
