Sir, – The editorial in Saturday's edition (August 22nd) touches on a very important subject, critical thinking, a skill sadly lacking in many areas nowadays.
Let’s hope that the proposed Leaving Certificate course in philosophy includes logic, the science of evaluating arguments.
Logic comprises a unique mixture of verbal reasoning, set theory and conditional probability.
Our own George Boole (1815-1864) developed the techniques of symbolic or “propositional” logic known as Boolean algebra, which is the basis of computer languages and coding, as computers work in the binary system which uses only ones and zeros to represent values in the same way that logic uses true or false conditions.
Theorems are developed like algebra and utilise “truth tables” which surprisingly are used in evaluating the output of electronic logic gates, present by the millions on computer chips. These theorems also allow computer programmers to code more efficiently by combining groups of decisional commands.
Most importantly, logic fosters critical thinking by encouraging us to analyse information in a more meaningful way and arrive at conclusions based on evidence, rather than fallacy or anecdote.
Anyone contemplating a career in science, IT, law, medicine or management would benefit greatly from such skills. The preface in one textbook (Hurley) on the subject states “Logic instils a sensitivity for the formal component in language, indispensable for clear and effective communication . . . it also provides a useful device in disclosing ill-conceived policies in the political sphere”.
A compelling reason to study it, if ever there was! – Yours, etc,
GEORGE REYNOLDS,
Blessington,
Co Wicklow.