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[ontolog-forum] Language and logic

To: "'[ontolog-forum] '" <ontolog-forum@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
From: "Patrick Cassidy" <pat@xxxxxxxxx>
Date: Fri, 11 Dec 2009 13:28:21 -0500
Message-id: <000e01ca7a8f$b801fb10$2805f130$@com>
John,
   Interesting and useful summary.  Perhaps you could provide us with an
example of some more or less "rare" logic that is inspired by some
particular culture?  . . . Purely for academic interest, it seems like an
interesting topic.    (01)

Pat    (02)

Patrick Cassidy
MICRA, Inc.
908-561-3416
cell: 908-565-4053
cassidy@xxxxxxxxx    (03)

> -----Original Message-----
> From: ontolog-forum-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:ontolog-forum-
> bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of John F. Sowa
> Sent: Thursday, December 10, 2009 9:29 PM
> To: paoladimaio10@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Cc: [ontolog-forum]
> Subject: Re: [ontolog-forum] the justfication for chinese logic/mould
> theories
> 
> Paola,
> 
> I've said many things at many different times.  And in almost every
> case, any summary in one sentence is going to be completely wrong.
> 
>  > you and others argued that all logical systems are based on FOL
>  > (if I remember correctly) and that logical reasoning is not
>  > different between east and west
> 
> Both of those sentences are wrong, as stated.  The number of
> qualifications is enormous, and any simple statement like that
> is going to be extremely misleading.
> 
> If ever want to mention anything I said, please quote my exact
> words.  Following is a summary, which you can quote, if you like.
> 
> John
> ___________________________________________________________________
> 
> A summary of the relationships between logics and natural languages
> 
> By John F. Sowa
> 
>   1. Natural languages are *not* based on logic.  Instead, all
>      versions of logic are *abstractions from* natural languages.
> 
>   2. There are many different versions of logic, and every one of
>      them is a stylized or simplified version of one of the many
>      ways of using a natural language.  (Wittgenstein's term for
>      those ways is 'Sprachspiel' or 'language game'.)
> 
>   3. First-order logic is important because it is one of the
>      *simplest* versions of logic that can be abstracted from
>      any natural language.
> 
>   4. But there are other kinds of logics that can be abstracted
>      from natural languages, and they can be very useful for
>      different purposes.  Most people commonly use different
>      logics and modes of reasoning for different purposes in
>      their daily lives.
> 
>   5. Different cultures in different parts of the world tend
>      to emphasize different ways of using language -- different
>      language games.  Hence, they tend to have different
>      preferences for different versions of logic and reasoning.
> 
>   6. But some kinds of logic are widely used in many different
>      language games in all parts of the world.  FOL, for example,
>      is the logic used to do arithmetic, and it is found in
>      every culture that uses money and bookkeeping.
> 
>   7. Since every formal logic is an abstraction from some way
>      of using a natural language for some useful purpose,
>      *every* version of logic is a natural logic.  Some versions,
>      however, are more widely used than others.  But even the
>      rare versions are natural for the purposes for which the
>      people who needed them developed them.
> 
> 
> 
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>     (04)


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