Sophistry
Arguments can be made to support or deny ANYTHING. Physical evidence, indisputable on its own, can be made to look in favor of, or against, almost any proposition.
In light of this, it seems clear to me that pure logic alone is... illogical. Logic stripped of that something that runs over and above itself is a fallacy. For a perhaps overused example: the Third Reich. Pure logic devoid of that something is the breeding ground for unspeakable evils.
Is there anyway to overcome the tendency to look only for information that supports your own point of view? Is there anyway to not be blinded by your own views so as to not spin all new information to support those said views? Is there anyway to not unwittingly be your own sophist within the privacy of your own mind?
I feel these questions relate most strongly to the perils of using logic alone without balance.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by David Allen on
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Life is a feedback system. We can believe anything we want. It is when those beliefs influence the choices we make in our lives that those beliefs are then exposed to the outside world, and through this interaction we receive information back as to the suitability of our beliefs.
This system is not infallible though. History is full of the names of people, who having elevated themselves to new levels of understanding, that society rebuked and condemned. Only to realize later that those lone voices had been more correct.
A warning to us all (in my opinion) to be respectful of each other so that we may gain that balance you speak of.
Logic is based on facts, if any of the supporting facts is not true, then the logic fails. Logic itself (in my opinion) is a valid tool. We just need to be sure of the supporting facts.
P.S. I am not so sure that physical evidence is as indisputable as it seems to us now.
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Permalink Reply by Seth Edwards on
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I love the blunt way you see it. Very straightforward- elegantly simple. If nothing else, life is certainly a feedback system. Thank you for the input.
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