On education, logic and our lives.

What is Logic?

Thats to cheem, dude- personally, I do not understand how logic works in essence. Moreover, I do not want to address logic (see aims of project RN). Instead I want to focus more about the applications of logic to our lives.

So, okay.... how is logic essential to us?

I can give more reasons for this question- but do I really wish to explain every question I raise? Will it change the convictions of many to just hear reason upon reason? Or would more be convinced via an example (which we are al familiar with) that points out more successfully the essence of the above question? I believe the latter would suffice for now, and I'll reserve my arguments for other more dire topics on another day and time.

Alright then. let us look at our education. So, what are the aims of education?

Before I may address this topic, let us go back down memory lane to see a history of subjects that were made available to us during our course of education:

Pri 1 : English, Mother Tongue, Mathematics
Pri 3 : + Science
Pri 4 : + Social Studies
Sec 1 : + History, + Geography, + Literature, + D&T / Home Econs,
Sec 3 : Science sub-divides to Phy, Chem and Bio. Maths sub-divides into E Maths and A Maths

Available subjects for O level:
The languages- English, Mother Tongue, Higher M.T.
The Mathematics- E maths, A maths (optional)
The Sciences- Physics, Chemistry, Biology, (combined sciences)
The Humanities- Geography, History, Literature, Social Studies
The Arts- Music, Art, etc.

Choice of ITE, Polytechnic or Junior College after Ordinary Levels

ITE : Essential technical skills
Poly : Application and specialization in course of course (focus more on Project Work, practicals, coursework etc)
J.C. : + General Paper, + Econs, general choice between Arts or Science (focus more on core syllabus and raw knowledge)

Subjects tested for Advanced level:
-Mother Tongue (for those whom did not take H.M.T. during O levels)
-General Paper
-Mathematics or Economics
-2 or 3 Subjects on discipline level (either Humanities or Science)

University admission,

From poly : Higher specialization (diploma to degree in course of choice)
From JC : Application of higher knowledge onto relevant course of choice.



The above plan of education does not come about without reason. It is notable that when we were in primary school, the first subjects were not that of Science, Humanities, or Arts. Instead, the three primary subjects were on Language and Mathematics. Science was introduced as a subject only during primary three after two years of foundational grounding of the languages. Social studies, the first humanities subject, was only first introduced in primary four. Literature and other mainstream humanities subjects was only studied in sec 1 and phy, chem and bio only came around during sec 3. General paper only arrived on the scene in J1, 10 years after the initial introduction of education to the individual.

Why?

If we were to consider the nature of all the subjects as listed above, we would find out soon that all of them beyond science requires logical thinking and reasoning to varying degrees. As the subject gets introduced later, the higher was it's need and relation to logical thinking and analysis. Let us consider a few subjects in turn to see how they are related logic, and ultimately knowledge and truth.


1) Science and all it's relevant subjects: 'Science' would hardly be called science if it were to be studied in absence of logic (see philosophy of science). Science studied during the earlier years (pri 3- sec 2) was a general collection initially, with intention for students to memorize raw scientific facts. However, Science sub-divides into three primary subjects from Sec 3 onwards (namely phy, chem and bio) where we learnt to understand scientific concepts from mathematical calculation or logical deduction. It is notable to take note that while the methods of science may change over time, the philosophy of Science as a subject never changes- and in accordance to the introductory page of Primary Science 3 Second Edition, we get the following:

What is Science about?

In science we learn to look at things, ask questions and try to answer them. We get to know more about the world around us and about ourselves.

2) Social studies/ History: one of the most important concepts of Truth learnt in both subjects is evident when a student attempts a source-based question. Note that when such questions are attempted, various skills were accessed to identify aspects such as credibility, cross-referencing, biasness, agenda and logic flow. Do note that credibility and biasness of a source is closely related to subjectivity of Truth, and the basic skill of cross-referencing actually mirrors the correspondence theory of Truth.

3) Literature: The three basic skills of literature are 1. Reading the lines (reading for platonic content) 2. Reading between the lines (reading for inference) and 3. Reading beyond the lines (reading for meaning). As students attempt to analyse a given text, they are actually sub-consciously trained in applying skills of logical deduction and analysis.

4) General Paper: One of the frontiers of philosophy, where questions raised were actually related to the world in broad topics such as Science, Religion, Morality, Ethics, Nature, Nurture, Crime, War, Sports, Culture, Politics. Note that while certain topics may seem eternal (logic eternal) i.e. Science and Religion, Nature vs. Nurture, Free-will vs Determinism etc. Others remained more focused on the world today and are applicable to youths today (logic now) ie. Culture, Sports, Economy, Education etc.


After careful analysis of the subjects taught, the skills learnt, and the 'coincidental' timings for for the introduction of each subject- it is evident that such education was carefully planned out for. To first be able to assimilate the languages as a medium for thought, then invoke logic- first via facts and 'knowledge'; and then allow the student to slowly logically deduce 'truths' as in Lit, Phy, Chem, Bio and History. Finally, G.P. was imposed to perfect the logical reasoning and apply such logical skills to the real world itself, namely via addressing real world issues and topic currently under debate.

For this you may take education as a form of military school: to start afresh with every new batch of recruits, teach them how to walk (languages), present them their weapons (facts), then teach them how to fire their weapons on mock targets (sec school), bring them for simulation courses (G.P.) and finally from them bring them to the real battlefield when their knowledge is tested real time on the subjects, and jobs they will specialize in their future.

This has been the aim of our education. To prepare us for the war of Knowledge and Truth.

Do note that mainstream education entails logic. Nearly every subject discussed above entails some degree of logic, although it may be argued that Literature encompasses elements of Feeling and Metaphysics (which I will dwell next time). The education can thus be a vantage point where we may easily see how logic is essential to our lives; via education how our fathers try to inculcate logic to us, and by education how it prepares us for the future.

In conclusion, logic is essential in our lives. I have not given an objective answer why it is important, but I believe that would not be necessary. By choosing to touch on the aims of education I have already shown you it's significance more clearly than any amount of reasoning or arguments- on how it makes us more knowledgeable people, how it help us survive in the future (jobs), and ultimately how it help us live on as human beings from generation to generation without death or extinction.