Before I act, I must first decide to act. Common sense tells me this is true, but I’ve also read about brain studies that show the brain lighting up before a person performs an action such as lifting one hand.
If I want to have the best chance of having my actions lead to good outcomes, then I must do a good job at deciding. Again, common sense tells me this is true and also, I have experienced that it is true in my own life.
If I want to do a good job at deciding, I need to reason correctly. Reasoning is the process of considering various solutions to a problem and then choosing which one is best.
Logic is the study of correct reasoning. Therefore, studying logic will help me improve my reasoning skills, so that I can make good decisions about how to act.
Logically, therefore, I conclude that understanding the structure of logical arguments will be very useful. 🙂
In coming days, I will be talking more about logic. Lucky you!
Click to embiggen. The small print is interesting!
Chrissy’s Site Bites: http://news.webshots.com/photo/2573890270056011884zGTJAO
polination.blog 
I look forward to it!
“Contradictions do not exist. Whenever you think you are facing a contradiction, check your premises. You will find that one of them is wrong.”
-Francisco D’Anconia (Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand)
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ITA. I have often found it to be true when debating someone that they unknowingly argue from some mid-point and are often totally unaware of their own premises.
With people who want to understand things, it helps to show them how to work back to the true beginning of their beliefs to find those root values they just accept as definitional, the way we did with the point, line and plane in geometry.
I confess that the people who don’t want to understand their own beliefs or the beliefs of others confuse me. I can’t imagine NOT wanting to be very clear about what I believe and why. I also can’t imagine just shrugging at the idea that my actions are not in line with those beliefs.
But our previous pastor (now, thankfully, departed) was like this. She really and truly REFUSED to look at, listen to, or read anything that did not already support her chosen left-wing agenda. This required her to ignore and denigrate every member of her flock who was Republican, Pro-Life and/or involved with the military.
Yet I am quite sure she considered herself a good Christian and maybe even a good pastor. I tried with her for a while, but after she (figuratively) stuck her fingers in her ears and shouted “La la I can’t hear you!”, I gave her to God. I think He has better uses for my time.
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