Discuss: Side with the Living
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Daniel
So you insist on dragging me into this debate… something I do not believe in, and almost never practice (LOL). Indeed, I abhor debate, as nature does a vacuum!!
But, I think you and I can agree that Aristotle is the father of the syllogism. And we can also agree with The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy when it says that “Aristotle’s logic, especially his theory of the syllogism, has had an unparalleled influence on the history of Western thought.” As we both know, the syllogism revolves around one key concept: deduction (sullogismos)
Now, according to Aristotle in the Prior Analytics, “A deduction is speech (logos) in which, certain things having been supposed, something different from those supposed results of necessity because of their being so.” (I.2, 24b18-20)
This corresponds to our modern notion of a logical consequence: X results of necessity from Y and Z if it would be impossible for X to be false when Y and Z are true. We could therefore take this to be a general definition of “valid argument”. (Stanford Encycl of Phil)
The syllogism then, is the foundation of a sound, formal argumentation in science, mathematics, law, and debate class. These ideas while not emerging ex nihilo from Aristotle’s head, certainly have become the tools of the master… and we cannot tear down the master’s house with his own tools… but only entertain him temporarily.
Thanks for your response.
And I do like that…
love and rage,
sandy
Daniel
So you insist on dragging me into this debate… something I do not believe in, and almost never practice (LOL). Indeed, I abhor debate, as nature does a vacuum!!
But, I think you and I can agree that Aristotle is the father of the syllogism. And we can also agree with The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy when it says that “Aristotle’s logic, especially his theory of the syllogism, has had an unparalleled influence on the history of Western thought.” As we both know, the syllogism revolves around one key concept: deduction (sullogismos)
Now, according to Aristotle in the Prior Analytics, “A deduction is speech (logos) in which, certain things having been supposed, something different from those supposed results of necessity because of their being so.” (I.2, 24b18-20)
This corresponds to our modern notion of a logical consequence: X results of necessity from Y and Z if it would be impossible for X to be false when Y and Z are true. We could therefore take this to be a general definition of “valid argument”. (Stanford Encycl of Phil)
The syllogism then, is the foundation of a sound, formal argumentation in science, mathematics, law, and debate class. These ideas while not emerging ex nihilo from Aristotle’s head, certainly have become the tools of the master… and we cannot tear down the master’s house with his own tools… but only entertain him temporarily.
Thanks for your response.
And I do like that…
love and rage,
sandy