Quotes About Reasoning

Reductio ad absurdum, or reduction to absurdity, is a form of argument that proves a statement by demonstrating that its opposite is absurd.

Leibniz's reasoning: 1. Everything that exists has an explanation of its existence. 2. If the universe has an explanation of its existence, that explanation is God. 3. The universe exists.

A good argument must obey the rules of logic; express true premises; and have premises more plausible than their opposites.

Two statements are logically equivalent if it is impossible for one to be true and the other false. They are either both true or both false. One of the most important logical equivalences is called contraposition. It tells us that any statement of the form "If P, then Q" is logically equivalent to "If not-Q, then not-P." The example in the text of statements A and B is an example of contraposition.

Turing believes machines think. Turing lies with men. Therefore machines cannot think.

the ability of the person to figure things out, to learn, to think critically and solve problems is more important.

The Enlightenment (The beginning of) a way of pursuing knowledge with a tradition of criticism and seeking good explanations instead of reliance on authority.

This inductively justifies the conclusion that induction cannot justify any conclusions.

Aquel que vive razonando termina por sentir desprecio en su alma hacia los humanos; aquel que vive atormentado por el fantasma se lo ido no alimenta ilusiones, por los recuerdos abrumado; imprime esto a menudo un gran encanto a las charlas.

lack of imagination is not itself an argument.

No True Scotsman' style of argument (also known to logicians as the 'ad hoc rescue' procedure).

He was "more passionate than most intelligent men, and more intelligent and reasoned than most passionate men.

If one were to bring ten of the wisest men in the world together and ask them what was the most stupid thing in existence, they would not be able to discover anything so stupid as astrology.

One could drive a schooner through any part of his argument and never scrape against a fact.

Accuracy is, in every case, advantageous to beauty, and just reasoning to delicate sentiment. In vain would we exalt the one by depreciating the other.

The feelings of our heart, the agitation of our passions, the vehemence of our affections, dissipate all its conclusions, and reduce the profound philosopher to a mere plebeian

There is no method of reasoning more common, and yet none more blamable, than, in philosophical disputes, to endeavor the refutation of any hypothesis, by a pretense of its dangerous consequences to religion and morality.

That I am ready to throw all of my books and papers into the fire, and resolve never more to renounce the pleasure of life for the sake of reasoning and philosophy.

Long before we have reached the last steps of the argument leading to our theory, we are already in Fairyland

A body of ten ounces raised in any scale may serve as a proof, that the counterbalancing weight exceeds ten ounces; but can never afford a reason that it exceeds a hundred.

Reasonable men may be allowed to differ where no one can reasonably be positive: Opposite sentiments, even without any decision, afford an agreeable amusement; and if the subject be curious and interesting, the book carries us, in a manner, into company, and unites the two greatest and purest pleasures of human life: study and society.

Jika akan memilih buku apa saja, mari bertanya; Apakah di dalamnya terkandung penalaran abstrak mengenai kuantitas atau angka..? 'Tidak'. Apakah di situ terkandung penalaran eksperimental tentang kenyataan dan keberadaan..? 'Tidak'. Maka buanglah buku itu ke nyala api, sebab ia tak berisi apapun kecuali cara berpikir yang menyesatkan dan ilusi.

reasonings on this subject can only be drawn from effects to causes; and that every argument, deducted from causes to effects, must of necessity be a gross sophism; since it is impossible for you to know anything of the cause, but what you have antecedently, not inferred, but discovered to the full, in the effect.

Accurate and just reasoning is the only catholic remedy, fitted for all persons and all dispositions; and is alone able to subvert that abstruse philosophy and metaphysical jargon, which, being mixed up with popular superstition, renders it in a manner impenetrable to careless reasoners, and gives it the air of science and wisdom. 8.