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If I was terrible at logic, would I be able to assess my ability at logic accurately?

I'm trying to understand how God works in the Bible, people say he works in mysterious ways, I'm wondering if I'm just horrible at logical thought (that is, if God really is logical and I'm just an idiot). Would my incompetence in logic affect how I judge myself and others skill in logic?

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  • Anonymous
    9 years ago
    Favorite Answer

    Yes - your incompetence at logic would most certainly affect not only how you judge yourself and others, but how you define logic itself.

    Most people define something very strange as logic. This causes them to defend their irrationality

  • 9 years ago

    I would start asking you about how you reach a logical conclusion--that is the only test of another person's logical ability. You can't test someone's logic by their ability to reach a correct conclusion, as they could have arrived at the correct conclusion by intuition or luck. Logic is a process in which you look at facts, see what conclusions you can draw from those facts, and what non-factual ideas come about as a result that would be the subject of future logical tests.

    If R&S weren't an open troll area, I'd say 'wrong section', but since logic gets misdiscussed here often I guess it isn't all that wrong. Logic is math--it's a way to describe how symbols are manipulated, so it isn't opinion--there are clear cut rules on how to argue logically just like there are rules on which order you use to subtract and divide an equation. If anyone says they have found a logical atheist disproof of God, challenge them to show it--they are lying or their logic isn't cogent. If anyone says they have logical proof of God, they have probably based that proof upon an assumption that is controversial, such as the universal ethic. You see, once you have boiled down the facts with logic (and that assumes you had facts to start with), you are left with a pile of facts--you must then use those facts to reach a conclusion even though the facts are not leading you directly to one. At some point you'll likely be forced into one of the worst traps of logic--the 'either-or'. You'll decide that based on what you do know that it either works this way or that way, and you'll choose the one that seems most likely--in the absence of a logical proof you look at the evidence and make your best guess. It is not dumb to extrapolate your data like that, it's totally natural, but that is the point at which you left logic behind and took a leap of faith. Many atheists fail to see that because they had used logic so carefully until they got to that leaping point that they think they are still using logic when they take a leap of faith.

  • Anonymous
    9 years ago

    1) If I was terrible at logic, would I be able to assess my ability at logic accurately?

    Possibly. I doubt that you can logically prove that a person unfamiliar with logic would be unable to asses his own lack of expertise in that field.

    2) Would my incompetence in logic affect how I judge myself and others skill in logic?

    Well...probably it would affect the accuracy of estimating others' skill in logic (assuming that you had a scale with more than two points - "knows something" and "knows nothing"). However, it would not necessarily affect the accurate evaluation of your own knowledge.

    I - for example - realize that I have absolutely no skill in surfing. Now: this is because I have never in my life attempted to surf, even though I have downhill skied (which is perhaps similar) and participated in quite a few other sports. My complete ignorance - in fact - is what assures me that I have no skill in the area.

    - Jim, Bach Sci Physics 1989

  • Anonymous
    9 years ago

    There is zero skill involved in logic. Logic is not truth or fact. Logic is an opinion in which a mass majority agrees. You are trying to find logic within the bible. Simple enough, head to church. Everyone you encounter will find it logical and indulge you. However, confront those of zero or alternative faith and you will find the bible holds no logic. To answer your question further, you possibly fit into this group. Hence, finding no logic. This does not make you unintelligent. Nor does it effect yourself or others. Logic is not truth. Logic is not fact. Only agreement until proven true or otherwise. There is logic which sits idle, waiting closely next to truth never found or changing (logical matters). There is logic which changes immediately once truth, fact is found. (fact. reality).

    Then there is logic which continues its existence despite facts given. (irrationality) In this case, faiths. Story's firmly stated to be truth in which you've found none.

  • Anonymous
    9 years ago

    Logically, all trains of thought lead inevitably to God. Even the atheist "arguments" suppose things that cannot be explained without a designer. Simply saying "no God is required" doesn't negate the fact that, yuh-huh, it all requires a God. If you fail to get that, you fail at logic.

    Source(s): Deist
  • Anonymous
    9 years ago

    I have panic attacks. What makes panic attacks so embarassing, is that after wards, you don't know why you were scared. During the attack however, clearly, you are not interpreting whats giong on accurately. and yet I do things like check my pulse.

    While im in a state that is defined by irrationality taking over, I try to rationally judge my condition. This is, obviously, impossible..and it worsens the panic.

    Its quite a tricky subject.

  • 9 years ago

    Generally if you are poor at logical thinking then you would have difficulty in forming a coherent explanation of your understanding and beliefs. In most fields that would be a disadvantage, but when trying to justify bible teachings it is closer to being a must!

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