Topic:
The Reliability of Logics in the Perspective of Ancient and Modern Philosophers
Part 2 (C):
Continued from Part 2B:
The famous philosopher Immanuel Kant was also of the idea of defining logic with the science of judgment. Thus Immanuel Kant also modified the logical concepts of Aristotle on this very basis. Friedrich Ludwig Gottlob Frege the founder of modern logic also took the similar idea about logic. Friedrich Ludwig Gottlob Frege defines logic as “The science of the most general laws of truth.” [1]Here Friedrich Ludwig Gottlob Frege is relating logic as a science of common regulations, so a science is a prospect where changes are made for betterment and it is not ultimate, therefore he shares the same opinion of other philosophers.
The famous Islamic philosopher Averroes also differed with the opinion of Aristotle and interpreted logic as an instrument for judgment or an instrument for identifying and separating true and false. True and false is about an event’s affirmation or negation, the reliability of instrument is again a question and hence research and progress can be made to increase the reliability of the instrument logic according to him. James McCosh implicated logic as “laws of discursive thoughts”[2]. James destined logic as the combining formula of developed thoughts that might be different, but in combination by laws of logics they can be useful in understanding of an unknown reality.
Isaac Watts the hymn writer said about logic; “The right use of reason in the inquiry after truth (Isaac Watts).”[3] He meant that reasons are being used in logics to find solutions. In his view logic is the usage and handling of reasons not reasons, a level of truth can be attained by using these logics or ways of handling reasons. Isaac Watts viewed logic as an appropriate processing of existing reasons in finding the exact reality, therefore he nevertheless meant that logic is equal or analogous to reason.