Resource for how to think logically?

[Bob]

Any good resources for that?

I'm looking for something simple though.  I've seen some philosophy books that looked confusing.

I'm looking for something along the lines of...
If A, then B.
If B, then C.
Therefore, if A, then C.

[michael_sayers]

I think that in the Critique of Pure Reason Emmanuel Kant "exploded" syllogistic reasoning.


Mvh,
Michael

[hardy_practice]

Try A J Ayer or one of the Logical Positivists.

[michael_sayers]

Try A J Ayer or one of the Logical Positivists.

It might be more accurate to refer to them as "illogical positivists".


Mvh,
Michael

[hardy_practice]

Vienna Circle will do.

[michael_sayers]

Vienna Circle will do.

There is no such thing as "Vienna Circle".


Mvh,
Michael

[hardy_practice]

So you don't have apples in that basket?

[ted]

Any good resources for that?

I'm looking for something simple though.  I've seen some philosophy books that looked confusing.

I'm looking for something along the lines of...
If A, then B.
If B, then C.
Therefore, if A, then C.

Why do you need a resource to do that Bob ? Everyday applications of reasoning are not likely to require understanding of undecidability or the halting problem are they ? Reichenbach's "Symbolic Logic" is a good starting text, if you really need one, but there are hundreds of others.

[stevensk]

The law of transitivity
(Aristoteles, Euclides, Leibniz etc)

[Bob]

I'm looking for easy stuff.  And practical.  The point isn't to learn about logic.  It's to take that and actually use it.

Why do you need a resource to do that Bob ? Everyday applications of reasoning are not likely to require understanding of undecidability or the halting problem are they ? Reichenbach's "Symbolic Logic" is a good starting text, if you really need one, but there are hundreds of others.

To sharpen my thinking.  That's been on my mind a lot.  And to find things that transfer to different areas of learning.  If you practice scales, you get better at scales.  Maybe those practice methods transfer to arpeggios.  Is there a thought process above that that translates into a completely different area, like running maybe?  Yes, of course.  But what is it?  Ideas like, "Practice and you get better," "Push things.  Try harder  Keep trying," do transfer over. 

So I was looking for those.  They're in quotes a lot.  And I was wondering what would be very basic for thinking... Logic. 

But it would need to be practical, to be used in daily life somehow.  Something like a textbook or classroom exercises could work, but I'm not looking for something that just stays in the book or classroom. 

[hardy_practice]

Being the only rational one in a sea of irrationals will only irritate.  Maybe read Plato's cave - you could say that's where it starts.

[hardy_practice]

Of course you'd think being the only rational one would be an advantage?  Of course not - in the land of the blind everyone claims they can see!  That's also in Plato.

[j_menz]

Of course you'd think being the only rational one would be an advantage?  Of course not - in the land of the blind everyone claims they can see!  That's also in Plato.

Not in any Plato I've ever read. Do you have a reference?

Or do you mean In regione caecorum rex est luscus?

[ryankmfdm]

I'm with Bob. Logical thinking could indeed be argued to be the basis for human intelligence, so why not get as comfortable with it as possible? In my search, I've found two great books: Logic Made Easy by Deborah Bennett (more of a casual read), and Introduction to Logic by Harry Gensler (a textbook with some great free software you can download from the author's website for practice). Hope this helps.

[hardy_practice]

Not in any Plato I've ever read. Do you have a reference?
 

And if they were in the habit of conferring honours among themselves on those who were quickest to observe the passing shadows and to remark which of them went before, and which followed after, and which were together; and who were therefore best able to draw conclusions as to the future, do you think that he would care for such honours and glories, or envy the possessors of them? Would he not say with Homer,

Better to be the poor servant of a poor master, and to endure anything, rather than think as they do and live after their manner?

Yes, he said, I think that he would rather suffer anything than entertain these false notions and live in this miserable manner.
https://classics.mit.edu/Plato/republic.8.vii.html

[hardy_practice]

 But, whether true or false, my opinion is that in the world of knowledge the idea of good appears last of all, and is seen only with an effort; and, when seen, is also inferred to be the universal author of all things beautiful and right, parent of light and of the lord of light in this visible world, and the immediate source of reason and truth in the intellectual; and that this is the power upon which he who would act rationally, either in public or private life must have his eye fixed.

https://classics.mit.edu/Plato/republic.8.vii.html

[Bob]

I suppose I had logical fallacies in mind too.  That's all over the place... I would think.  

And things like, "Correlation does not equal causation."


Except if it's Philosophy 101, there's a good chance of getting sucked into learning something for a class.  Learn it for the class, great, but no impact on the real world.  I'm looking for something I can use in daily life.


The scientific method.  I'm using that all the time, informally.

[hardy_practice]

I see.  Nothing too earth shattering then?

[Bob]

Logic for Dummies looks fairly interesting.

Earth shattering if it's more practical.  I want real world and useful over academic/stuck in the classroom.

[hardy_practice]

They said the same about e=mc2 and look at where that got them.

[michael_sayers]

So you don't have apples in that basket?

What are apples?  And what is a basket?


Mvh,
Michael

[hardy_practice]

It's a logic kinda ting.