Re: Epistemology 201: The Science of Science

From: aeo6 (aeo6_at_cornell.edu)
Date: 02/11/05 

Date: Fri, 11 Feb 2005 09:35:50 -0500

Albert said:
> Wolf Kirchmeir wrote:
> > Albert wrote:
> > [...]
> >
> >>
> >> LOL. You snipped the rest of the post because you hoped no one would
> >> go back and read what you wrote:
> >>
> >> "As I understand it, logic does not concern it self with whether
> >> premises are true."
> >>
> >> To which I replied:
> >> "You might want to read about the difference between a valid and a
> >> sound argument before you step in it again."
> >
> >
> > I know about the difference between valid and sound,
>
> Thank you for proving my point and disproving yours. The very
> existence of the concept and definition of a sound argument is
> proof that indeed logic *does* "concern itself with whether
> premises are true." It also points out the fact that the
> disregard for soundness is why I say that mathematical logic is a
> subset of Logic.
>
> <snip>
>
I would say logic is concerned with the truth value of its premises, if
it is concerned with determining the truth value of its conclusions. The
difference is that those initial truth values are not the product of
logic. In the natural mind, the rules are usually generated empirically
by detecting patterns in perception and abstracting them into rules. As
natural minds, we are most certainly concerned with the soundness of our
premises, but the mathematical area of logic is concerned with
calculation of truth based on those premises, not with the the
correctness of the premises themselves.

Similarly, arithmetic is not concerned with whether you actually have
two apples or three, but what happens if you have two apples and add
one, theoretically. Still, as a natural being who enjoys apples, it may
matter to you whether you have two or three, though that may depend on
the state of the apples, which is also non-arithmetic. The determination
of how many apples you have is not based on arithmetic operators, but
actual counting (and acquisition) of apples. 

-- 
Smiles,
Tony

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Epistemology 201: The Science of Science
    ... > existence of the concept and definition of a sound argument is ... I would say logic is concerned with the truth value of its premises, ... it is concerned with determining the truth value of its conclusions. ... two apples or three, but what happens if you have two apples and add ...
    (sci.cognitive)
  • Re: Epistemology 201: The Science of Science
    ... > existence of the concept and definition of a sound argument is ... I would say logic is concerned with the truth value of its premises, ... it is concerned with determining the truth value of its conclusions. ... two apples or three, but what happens if you have two apples and add ...
    (sci.physics)
  • Re: Epistemology 201: The Science of Science
    ... > I would say logic is concerned with the truth value of its premises, ... > it is concerned with determining the truth value of its conclusions. ... There might be intermediate sound arguments, ... > two apples or three, but what happens if you have two apples and add ...
    (sci.cognitive)
  • Re: Epistemology 201: The Science of Science
    ... > I would say logic is concerned with the truth value of its premises, ... > it is concerned with determining the truth value of its conclusions. ... There might be intermediate sound arguments, ... > two apples or three, but what happens if you have two apples and add ...
    (sci.physics)
  • Re: Epistemology 201: The Science of Science
    ... > I would say logic is concerned with the truth value of its premises, ... > it is concerned with determining the truth value of its conclusions. ... There might be intermediate sound arguments, ... > two apples or three, but what happens if you have two apples and add ...
    (sci.math)
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