Any tips on where to begin? I’ve become extremely interested in the subject of logic thanks to the Austrian school. Problem is, I have no clue where to start. I need entry-level stuff because most of this is going to be self-taught. I know there’s the “stickied” praxeology thread but that’s logic s…

Even if you are right about logic, that’s like saying that we don’t need to understand linguistics because we don’t need it to speak, we just need our natural language ability. But in studying linguistics there is a lot to learn about that natural language ability, and in studying logic there is a …

The whole Laws of Thought approach is kind of a pet peeve of mine. There is nothing wrong with it per se, but it makes it look like there are some authoritative laws that need to be followed for some philosophical reason, when really all they are are ways to prohibit (via a sort of philosophical in…

I don’t get that meaning from the Laws of Thought at all. To me, the Laws of Thought are about non-contradiction. The nature of words is something of a different story IMO. Words can be so confusing because they’re not bound to certain definitions. At all times, people are free to use whatever mea…

Words are not bound to certain definitions, but people have a tendency to cling to their own definitions when discussing things as if everyone else really means the same thing when they say the same word. Even though they know (if you point it out) that other people have different definitions, they …

AJ, you’re definitely right that (some) people have that tendency. I think they have that tendency because they simply lack the mental discipline to use definitions that are different from the ones they’re used to, and/or (worse IMO) they actually aren’t concerned with the validity of the arguments …

That’s all true as well. One thing, though: I’m not sure there is anyone who is totally fluid with their definitions. I remember when you wrote in another thread something like, “By certain definitions of exist, you don’t exist.” There’s still a little shock when the reader sees that, I think, even …

The thing is, what authority do words (i.e. sound-forms) have on their own? None. It’s the semantics (the mapping of meanings to sound-forms) that have authority, by virtue (so to speak) of their common agreement. On the other hand, one is never bound prima facie to follow or even respect that seman…

I’ll second the reccommendation for Jevons’ Elementary Lessons.

I have ten books, and I don’t have ten books / Therefore, I am Nietzsche. I assume you understand the meaning of everyword in that argument, so is it deductively valid or not? Logic extends far beyond what makes an argument deductively valid, it even rears its head in linguistics amongst various …

I fully agree with what I think your point is, but while there is no real authority to words, there is part of us that acts - even momentarily - as if they do mean what we first assume them to mean. That is the definitional stickiness. So it is not always dishonest when someone uses a different mea…

Logic for beginners...

Miscellaneous Newbies

Amanojack April 21, 2011, 2:42am 31

OMG. Though I probably agree with Selgin, he just did this!

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Logic for beginners...

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