There is a big difference between an openminded person, and a cynical person. Logic is great, but how far can we get with logic if were not willing to look at every thing?

Iv always said that arguing for the sake of arguing is pointless and abusive towards logic.
One thing about logic i think we can all agree on, It is used
TO FIND THE TRUTH

the question is why.
why? i challenge everyone who wants to respond to this or anyother post, to ask themselves "why am i doing this?"
is it to prove him wrong? is it to exchange ideas and perspective? do i want to shoot someone down just to make myself appear superior?
or do i want to save this guy some trouble or give him some advice?
Think of how much further we would get if every one asked why.
oh, theres another part, if you came up with any answer havingto do with appearing superior or proving some one wrong, dont reply!
problem solved :wink

wait... what was the question?

sooooo....you wanna argue with someone?

I don't argue and I'm an emotional thinker....I'm pretty sure I'm in the wrong thread, I'm dipping out!

I asked why, I could not answer, but I still not further got. Though I asked "why".

Any other strategy to save the world?

You are asking us to examine our motives when we seek to argue with other people here?

Great idea.

You said something which, taken a bit out of context, I disagree with. So why am I commenting on it? Because I like my ideas and want others to consider them. So here goes:

I don't believe that logic is an effective tool for finding the truth. I do think it can be an effective tool for identifying non-truth as non-truth. Thats an important part of the process, and so I think logic is 'good' and important.

Is it permissible to agree with someone?

I agree with MT.

I too, do not see logic as a very effective tool for finding truth (unless it's within something like mathematics where premises are served up as axioms).

But as MT points out, it can be useful for identifying contradictions.

The real irony that I've descovered is that, taken far enough, everything can ultimely be shown to lead to a logical contradiction (even the theorems of mathematics!)

Taken far enough, most logical conclusions lead to either outright contradictions, or extreme restictions of very special limited cases.

That's been my experience in this life.

NO! There can be no agreement! Only arguing!

This is a very interesting approach. I commend you for it, probably because it is an introversional one, and I am of the belief that that kind of approach is the only way to remove the worldy fingerprint. As long as one views the world through the fingerprint that it places upon each of us, it will remain incorruptible.



I like arguing! I like meaningful coherent arguing even better!



Well, sometimes there the case where one is wrong. That being true does not necessarily mean that another's goal is to prove it. By giving a logically sound argument, it is possible to prove another wrong without that ever being the intention. That can and often is a necessary bi-product of giving a sound argument which conflicts with another's view.



It can be for any one of these reasons or more. I would not 'argue' in an attempt to simply exchange views. I usually engage after someone else has addressed something which I have written in a way which I view as wrongful/invalid.

If done correctly, arguing is a meaningful and very useful tool to gain understanding.



I see no way to prove you wrong here, as this is an open-ended question and not really a debatable topic...

A great one, I might add!

I'd like to thank Abra, Message and Creative for their views on the use of logic.

I had never thought about it before really. It just sort of sat in the back of my mind as a tool I that I pulled out and used whenever I wanted.

And when I first saw messgae and Abro say that it was not all that good for determining "truth" I bristled.

But now that I look at it, I see it as a tool I use mainly for the purpose of understanding, in the sense of determining how one factor relates to another.

Thanks for this topc. It's a good one.

That's where you're Wrong!!! BECAUSE THERE'S NO SUCH THING AS AN ABSOLUTE TRUTH -- since everything's relative...

** The main purpose of this forum is a Discussion, even an Argument! (which isn't a bad word at this forum.)

That's the essence of Phillosophy!!! (i.e. flexing one's mental muscles... -- the most Unisexual exercise the is!)

"FINDing THE TRUTH" is just a side-effect!* * *

If that's what you're interested in, then you better create your own thread -- A MUTUAL AGREEMENT SOCIETY -- where only Undisputed facts would be posted, and no Arguments allowed...
______________ BORING!______________
( * * * That would be Most illogical * * * )

So, the question was "why am I posting in a thread?"

I post for several reasons and they vary by thread. Sometimes I post the first response that pops into my head because I am bored and just having fun.

Sometimes I post a thoughtful response to a difficult thread that I am trying to understand and learn from.

Sometimes I am just talking to people I have come to be friends with here and it's more of chatting.

Sometimes I have an emotional response to something someone else has posted and I respond to that. (Those are the ones I usually regret).

But, I don't think I post to feel superior or put people down. At least not intentionally. I certainly hope I don't.

Oh yeah, and sometimes I post to flirt with some of the cute guys here. Well, it IS a dating site, after all!

I couldn't have said it better myself.

So you flirt with the cute guys?

Where's that guy who's always passing the mash potatoes? We all know why he posts. He's just hungry.

Well, if I ever did want to, I'm certainly in the right place for it. (10 miles from San Francisco).

I know logical thinking people--they never come up with a truth---cuz they think everything to death. On and on they go. sh-t or get off the pot. Now that is a logical way to live your life.

Well don't let them fool you. Most of the time those people aren't even being logical at all. What far too many people do is claim to be using 'logic' when in truth all they are doing is running around semantic bushes never stating anything concrete and pretending to always have a 'logically superior argument' when in fact they have nothing but empty gobbledygook.

Those kinds of people are a dime a dozen. Unfortunately.

Stick them in a math class and you'll quickly discover that they don't even understand logic at all.

Why am I tapping out a non-encrypted message in this post?

mmm - well because I noticed JasonP had something to say and I was interested in what he might have to share - cos he's young and has some 'young stuff' to pass on..

So I got here and when I read the OP I thought - do I have anything to say????

As I was thinking about that - I began reading the replies..

Oh look Mass is here - good post
And I see Abra - fine agreement and
Wux - I didn't get it
and Jane - I like the way she types
and there was creative - oh wow so many of my favortie people
but we missed Smiless but saved him some mashed potatoes or is the potatos???

Actually it's been a three tequilla night and so I blame this post on alcohol - and THAT'S WHY I'M POSTING

To say

and good-night

Oh - sorry to go on & on - but there are three bathrooms here - I sit as long as I want. So there!

So what am I - chopped liver? After all I've done for you and this is how you treat me...like I'm not even here?
I'm crushed.