Logic

I can recognize the importance of logic in argument but it never seems to apply in the 'real' world. You never see headlines along the lines of SYMBOLIC LOGIC REFUTES SENATOR Z'S CLAIMS ABOUT DEPLOYMENT OF TROOPS IN IRAQ SHOCK, followed by 'if A then not B' stuff. No political columnist ever cites logical validity or fallacies to support their view or dismiss the views of others - it is all opinion and anecdote (even if they did, few would get their point) - so how does logic work outside of the rarefied realm of philosophy?

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Well, I happen to think that it would be better if political columnists DID point out logical mistakes in the arguments made by public officials. There is no shortage of mistakes to point out. Of course, to point out mistakes in the arguments made by politicians, there would have to be arguments to begin with, and they too are in perilously short supply. Perhaps more attention to logic would encourage participants in public debates to offer arguments instead of appeals to emotion, innuendo, name-calling, and sanctimonious prattle.

Logic concerns how we ought to reason. Perhaps your logic course will lead you to demand that public figures offer you arguments that stand up under logical scrutiny. I, for one, would consider as highly successful any logic course that encouraged students to do that, even if they did not remember what modus ponens was after the final exam was over.

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