Logic and Perception

Logic and Perception

Logic is one of the most ancient intellectual disciplines, and one of the most modern. Its beginnings go back to the 4th century BC. The only older disciplines are philosophy and mathematics, with both of which it has always been intimately connected. It was revolutionized around the turn of the twentieth century, by the application of new mathematical techniques, and in the last half-century it has found radically new and important roles in computation and information processing. It is thus a subject that is central to much human thought and endeavor.

Most people like to think of themselves as logical. Telling someone 'You are not being logical' is normally a form of criticism. To be illogical is to be confused, mixed-up, and irrational. We all reason. We try to figure out what is so, reasoning on the basis of what we already know. We try to persuade others that something is so by giving them reasons. Because of its fundamental role in philosophy, the nature of logic has been the object of intense dispute: it is not possible to clearly define the boundaries of logic in terms acceptable to all rival viewpoints.

Critical thinking is the use of those cognitive skills or strategies that increase the probability of a desirable outcome. It is used to describe thinking that is purposeful, reasoned, and goal directed--the kind of thinking involved in solving problems, formulating inferences, calculating likelihoods, and making decisions when the thinker is using skills that are thoughtful and effective for the particular context and type of thinking task. The "critical" part of critical thinking indicates an evaluation part. When we think critically, we are evaluating the outcomes of our thought processes, how good a decision is or how well a problem has been solved. Critical thinking also involves evaluating the thinking process--the reasoning that went into the conclusion we've arrived at or the kinds of factors considered in making a decision. Critical thinking is sometimes called directed thinking because it focuses on obtaining a desired outcome.