Why Study Logic? - Introduction - "The Reasonable Person" - Mark Grannis

Stephen Alexander Beach 

Here are a few key points from the introduction of the book which was discussed in lecture two. 

Why is logic worth studying? Grannis makes a point about the distinction between humans and animals. Animals choose and act through instinct, and thus really don't have a moral choice or responsibility to their actions. Humans, though, have both intellect and will, and therefore have a conscious choice in their actions. This means that it is up to each individual as to how their life may turn out. There are two paths set before each person, one towards goodness and one towards evil, one towards Heaven and one towards Hell. This means that it is very important to think and choose clearly with our actions. This is to think logically. 

This leads to the definition of logic, which Grannis puts as "the art and the science of thinking." It can be an art and a science because of the fundamental rule of existence, that reality never contradicts itself. This is known as the Principle of Non-Contradiction. Reality always wins. And therefore, since language is a vehicle for expressing reality, our language, too, should not have contradictions within it if it is going to be logical. 

Now, while reality always wins, as free agents with a human will we can choose to exalt ourselves over the truth and try to subvert it. We see this all the time and for many reasons. The truth requires us to change and conform ourselves with it, a thing which many people do not want to do. This may mean giving up one's favorite vices. Likewise, it may upset one's whole understanding of the world. Overall, this type of denial is the sin of pride. Pride is the distortion of reality and is the sin of the devil. The Devil knows absolutely with his intellect that he cannot ever defeat or harm God, that God will actually use the Devil's rebellion towards the salvation of souls and the completion of God's plan. And yet, the Devil in his pride does not care that his rebellion makes no sense, it is an act and exaltation of his will. When we sin this is exactly what happens in our soul. To bring the body to action, the will must shut down the intellect which knows right from wrong, and overpower it. 

And so to be logical, to be a reasonable person, one has to be open to truth, one has to have humility, one has to have virtue, and one has to have charity. All of these qualities are necessary to allow ourselves to be conformed to the truth of reality, not for us to try to conform reality to our sinful image.