Define Logic and explain its nature and scope.

The word ‘logic’ is derived from the Greek word ‘logos’ which means thought. Hence, etymologically logic is the science of thought or the science that investigates the process of thinking. Thinking is the mental act by means of which we acquire knowledge. Logic is a science because it is

the systematic study of all reasoning processes. It is therefore the systematic study of the operations of human mind in its search for truth.

In spite of the differences in the definitions given by different logicians, there is clear agreement about its subject matter namely the relationship between reasoning and truth. Let us examine the definition given by Creighton for a comprehensive understanding of the nature and subject matter of

logic. According to him, Logic is the science, which deals with the operations of human mind in its

search for truth. This definition states three facts about logic. It is (i) a science, (ii) concerned with

the operations of the human mind and (iii) concerned with the search for truth.

(i) Logic is a science as it is a systematic and organized body of knowledge about a particular part of

the universe namely human thought.

(ii) Logic is concerned with a specific power of human mind namely thinking/reasoning. Here

‘thought’ refers to both the processes and the products of thinking.

(iii) Creighton’s phrase ‘search for truth’ indicates that truth is the goal or aim of logic. Truth may be either formal or material. Formal truth means agreement of thoughts among themselves. It consists

in self-consistency of ideas among themselves i.e., freedom of thought from contradiction. E.g., ‘Circular Square’ is a contradiction in terms. It is formally false because it is self-contradictory. However, a ‘golden mountain’ though not materially real is formally true because the two ideas ‘golden and ‘mountain’ are not contradictory to each other.

 Copi and Cohen define the function of logic as ‘the study of the methods and principles used to distinguish correct from incorrect reasoning’. This definition highlights the precise function of logic. It provides the necessary rules and methods for evaluating the truth and falsity of judgments. Scientific study in any field is based on correct reasoning and hence logic is considered as the basic science of sciences.

 The scope of logic as the science of sciences is implied in these definitions. Its rules and principles are the fingerpost to truth in any area of study- religion, philosophy or sciences. Yet, logic is not a positive science like biology or sociology. It is precisely a normative and regulative science. A positive science describes ‘what is given’ whereas a normative science prescribes ‘what ought to be’. Thus, logic is defined as the normative study of human reasoning that provides the norms/standards/ideals of correct thinking. Logic is a regulative science as its main concern is to fix the precise rules and norms of evaluating correct judgments and arguments. 

Thus, it is crucial to scientific investigation and testing of hypotheses. There has been much dispute on the question - Is logic a science or an art? Critics differ in their opinion as to whether logic is a science or an art. Logicians like Mansel and Thompson accept logic only as a science while Aldrich and others consider logic only as an art. Mill and Whately recognize logic as both a science and an art. We have already seen that it is basically the science of reasoning. It is also true that a proper study of logic will improve our reasoning skill and the ability to detect the errors and lapses in judgments and arguments. Hence, learning logic certainly involves training in making and analyzing arguments. It is therefore an art also. Logic is an art because it is a practical science that guides us in the ‘search for truth’.There is no doubt about the value of logic in the fields of law and crime investigation. Judges and lawyers are always keen on the logical coherence of arguments in law courts. 

Detectives and police officers apply the tools of logic to discover the loopholes in crime investigation. A careful study of logic guards us against the common errors in reasoning such as hasty generalization and ambiguity. Thus, the study of logic guarantees training in detecting fallacies in judgments and arguments. That is why we consider logic not only as the science of reasoning but also as the art of argumentation. Logic is the reliable guide in our search for truth because it recognizes both the material and formal aspects of truth. Hence, it is divided into formal logic and material logic. The portion of logic concerned with formal truth is known as Deductive logic or Deduction and that which is concerned with material truth is known as Induction or Inductive Logic. The scope of logic in the search for

truth is therefore all-inclusive.