Wednesday 3 June 2009

29. Mind forms in human individuals - D.


LOGIC. Since ancient times there has been a broad, formally inverted duality in reasoning.

The version of the subject called induction appears to be left-brain-biased logic, in that it begins by noting particular characteristics of forms and reasoning proceeds from such particulars to general conclusions. Because each dog we know swims we conclude that all dogs swim. It is the dominant kind of reasoning in the sciences. Its strength is that new understanding is accumulating. Its weakness is that the new insights can only refer to probability.

The version of the subject called deduction appears to be right-brain-biased logic, in that it begins by noting general characteristics of forms and reasoning proceeds by applying these generalities to particular cases. All dogs swim -- Patch is a dog -- therefore Patch swims. It is the dominant kind of logic in pure mathematics. Its strength is the security of the conclusions. Its weakness is that no new understanding is obtained because the derived conclusion is part of the earlier understanding.

We appear to await the blending of the two arguably half-brain-biased logics into a synergic logic that will complete our human quest for increased information with certainty.

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