Logic: an object. Logic: concept, meaning, object and subject of logic as a science

Logic is one of the oldest objects standing next to philosophy and sociology and is an essential common cultural phenomenon from the very beginning of its emergence. The role of this science in the modern world is important and multifaceted. Those who have knowledge in this field can conquer the whole world. It was believed that this is the only science that can find compromise solutions in any situation. Many scholars attribute discipline to the division of philosophy, while others, in turn, deny this possibility.

Naturally, with time, the orientation of logical research changes, methods are improved and new trends arise that meet scientific and technical requirements. This is necessary, because every year the society faces new problems that can not be solved by obsolete methods. Subject logic studies human thinking from the side of those laws, which he uses in the process of knowing the truth. In fact, since the discipline we are considering is very multifaceted, it is studied using several methods. Let's consider them.

The etymology of logic

Etymology is a section of linguistics whose main purpose is the origin of the word, its study from the point of view of semantics (meaning). "Logos" in Greek means "word", "thought", "knowledge". Thus, we can say that logic is an object that studies thinking (reasoning). However, psychology, philosophy and physiology of nervous activity, one way or another, also study thinking, but is it possible to say that these sciences are studying the same thing? Rather, on the contrary - in some ways they are the opposite. The difference between these sciences is in the way of thinking. Ancient philosophers believed that man's thinking is diverse, because he is able to analyze situations and create an algorithm for performing certain tasks to achieve a certain goal. For example, philosophy as an object is more simply a discussion about life, about the meaning of being, while logic, aside from idle reflections, leads to a definite result.

Reference method

Let's try to apply to dictionaries. Here the meaning of this term is somewhat different. From the point of view of the authors of encyclopedias, logic is an object that studies laws and forms of human thinking with the aim of understanding the surrounding reality. This science is interested in how "living" true knowledge functions, and in search of answers to their questions, scientists do not address each specific case, but follow specific rules and laws of thought. The main task of logic as a science of thinking is to take into account only the way of obtaining new knowledge in the process of knowing the surrounding world, without linking its form with specific content.

The principle of logic

The object and meaning of logic is best considered on a concrete example. Let us take two statements from various fields of science.

1. "All stars have their own radiation. The sun is a star. It has its own radiation. "
2. Any witness must tell the truth. My friend is a witness. My friend is obliged to tell the truth.

If you analyze these judgments, you can see that in each of them the third reason is explained by the third. Although each of the examples belongs to different fields of knowledge, the way of linking the constituent parts of the content in each of them is the same. Namely: if an object has a certain property, then everything related to this quality has a different property. Result: the subject in question also has this second property. These causal relationships are usually called logic. This relationship can be observed in many life situations.

Let's turn to history

To understand the true meaning of this science, you need to know how and under what circumstances it arose. It turns out that the subject of logic as a science arose in several countries almost simultaneously: in ancient India, in ancient China and in ancient Greece. Speaking of Greece, this science arose during the period of the disintegration of the clan system and the formation of such layers of the population as merchants, landowners and artisans. Those who ruled Greece, infringed on the interests of virtually all segments of the population, and the Greeks actively began to express their positions. In order to resolve the conflict peacefully, each side used its arguments and arguments. This gave an impetus to the development of such a science as logic. The subject was used very actively, because it was very important to win the discussions in order to influence decision-making.

In ancient China, logic arose during the golden age of Chinese philosophy or, as it was called, the period of "struggling states." Like the situation in ancient Greece, there was also a struggle between the well-off strata of the population and the authorities. The first wanted to change the state structure and to abolish the transfer of power by inheritance. During such a struggle to win, it was necessary to gather around him as many supporters as possible. However, if in Ancient Greece this served as an additional incentive for the development of logic, then in ancient China - quite the contrary. After the Qin kingdom became the dominant one, and the so-called cultural revolution took place, the development of logic at this stage

E has stopped.

Given that in different countries this science arose precisely during the period of struggle, the object and meaning of logic can be characterized as follows: it is the science of the sequence of human thinking that can positively influence the resolution of conflict situations and disputes.

The main subject of logic

It is difficult to single out one definite meaning, which in general could characterize such an ancient science. For example, the subject of logic is the study of the laws of the derivation of correct certain judgments and statements from certain true circumstances. This was the description of this ancient science by Friedrich Ludwig Gottlob Frege. The concept and the subject of logic was studied by Andrei Nikolaevich Shuman, a well-known modern logician. He believed that this is a science of reflection, which explores different ways of thinking and models them. In addition, the object and the subject of logic is, of course, speech, because logic is realized only through conversation or discussion, and it is absolutely unimportant, aloud or "about oneself."

The above statements indicate that the subject of the science of logic is the structure of thinking and its various properties that separate the sphere of abstract logical and rational thinking - forms of thinking, laws, necessary interrelations between structural elements and the correctness of thinking for achieving the truth.

The process of finding truth

In simple terms, logic is the thought process of seeking truth, because the process of searching for scientific knowledge is formed on the basis of its principles. There are various forms and methods of using logic and they are all combined into a theory of knowledge in various fields of science. This is the so-called traditional logic, in which there are more than 10 different methods, but the basic ones are the deductive logic of Descartes and the inductive logic of Bacon.

Deductive logic

We all know the method of deduction. Its use is somehow connected with science such as logic. The subject of Descartes' logic is a method of scientific cognition, the essence of which lies in the strict deduction from certain provisions that were previously studied and proven new. He was able to explain why, since the original statements are true, then the deduced ones are also true.

For deductive logic, it is very important that there are no contradictions in the initial statements, since in the future they can lead to incorrect conclusions. Deductive logic is very precise and does not tolerate assumptions. All postulates that are used, as a rule, are based on verified data. This logical method has the power of persuasion and is used, as a rule, in exact sciences, such as mathematics. Moreover, the deductive method is not questioned, but the very method of finding the truth is being studied. For example, the well-known theorem of Pythagoras. Is it possible to question its correctness? Rather, on the contrary - it is necessary to learn the theorem and learn how to prove it. The subject "Logic" is studying exactly this direction. With its help, with knowledge of certain laws and properties of the object, it becomes possible to bring out new ones.

Inductive logic

We can say that Bacon's so-called inductive logic practically contradicts the basic principles of deductive logic. If the previous method is used for exact sciences, then this one is for natural sciences, in which logic is necessary. The subject of logic in such sciences: knowledge is extracted by observation and experimentation. There is no place for precise data and calculations. All calculations are carried out only purely theoretically, for the purpose of studying an object or phenomenon. The essence of inductive logic is as follows:

1. Carry out a constant monitoring of the object that is being investigated, and create an artificial situation that could theoretically arise. This is necessary for studying the properties of certain objects that can not be learned in natural conditions. This is a necessary condition for studying inductive logic.
2. On the basis of observations, collect as many facts as possible about the object under study. It is very important to pay attention to the fact that, since the conditions were created artificially, the facts can be distorted, but this does not mean that they are false.
3. Summarize and systematize the data obtained during the experiments. This is necessary to assess the situation that has arisen. If the data is insufficient, then the phenomenon or object must be placed again in another artificial situation.
4. Create a theory to explain the findings and predict their further development. This is the final stage, which serves to summarize. The theory can be made without taking into account the actual data, however, nevertheless, it will be accurate.

For example, on the basis of empirical research on natural phenomena of vibration of sound, light, waves, etc., physicists formulated the thesis that any phenomenon that is periodic in nature can be measured. Of course, separate conditions were created for each phenomenon and certain calculations were made. Depending on the complexity of the artificial situation, the indications were significantly different. This is what allowed us to prove that the periodicity of the oscillation can be measured. Bacon explained scientific induction as a method of scientific knowledge of cause-effect relationships and the method of scientific discovery.

Causal relationship

From the very beginning of the development of the science of logic, much attention has been paid to this factor, which influences the whole process of research. Causality is a very important aspect in the process of studying logic. The reason is a certain event or object (1), which naturally affects the occurrence of another object or phenomenon (2). The subject of science logic, to speak formally, is to clarify the reasons for this sequence. After all, from the above it turns out that (1) is the cause (2).

One can give an example: scientists who explore outer space and objects that are there, found the phenomenon of a "black hole". This is a kind of cosmic body, the gravitational field of which is so great that it is capable of absorbing any other object in space. Now we will explain the cause-and-effect relationship of this phenomenon: if the gravitational field of any cosmic body is very large: (1), then it is capable of absorbing any other (2).

Basic Methods of Logic

The subject of logic briefly studies many spheres of life, however in most cases the information obtained depends on the logical method. For example, the analysis is called the figurative division of the object under study into certain parts, with the aim of studying its properties. Analysis, as a rule, is necessarily connected with synthesis. If the first method separates the phenomenon, the second, on the contrary, connects the resulting parts to establish the relationship between them.

Another interesting subject of logic is the method of abstraction. It is a process of mental separation of certain properties of an object or phenomenon in order to study them. All these techniques can be classed as methods of cognition.

There is also a method of interpretation, which consists in the knowledge of the sign system of certain objects. Thus, objects and phenomena can be given a symbolic meaning, which will facilitate understanding of the essence of the object itself.

Modern Logic

Modern logic is not a doctrine, but a reflection of the world. As a rule, this science has two periods of formation. The first begins in the Ancient World (Ancient Greece, Ancient India, Ancient China) and ends in the 19th century. The second period begins in the second half of the 19th century and continues to this day. Philosophers and scientists of our time do not stop to study this ancient science. It would seem that all of its methods and principles have long been studied by Aristotle and his followers, but every year, logic as a science, subject of logic, as well as its features continue to be explored.

One of the features of modern logic is the dissemination of the subject of research, which is due to new types and ways of thinking. This entailed the emergence of such new types of modal logic as the logic of change and causal logic. It was proved that such models differ significantly from those already studied.

Modern logic as a science is used in many life spheres, such as technology and information technology. For example, if you consider how the computer works and works, you can find out that all the programs on it are executed using an algorithm where logic is involved in one way or another. In other words, we can say that the scientific process has reached the level of development where devices and mechanisms working on logical principles are successfully created and put into operation.

Another example of the use of logic in modern science are control programs in CNC machines and plants. Here, also, it would seem, the iron robot performs logically constructed actions. However, such examples only formally show us the development of modern logic, because this way of thinking can only have a living being, such as a person. Moreover, many scientists still argue whether animals can have logical skills. All research in this area is reduced to the fact that the principle of animal action is based only on their instincts. Get information, process it and produce the result can only be a person.

Studies in the field of science such as logic can still last thousands of years, because the human brain has not been thoroughly studied. Every year, people are born more and more developed, which indicates the continuing evolution of man.