Voodoo Lounge v.12.1: I'm the Juggernaut, bitch!

Deductive Reasoning.

Deductive reasoning is the way in which to uncover the "truth" by using logical chains of thought.

All A is B.
m is B.
Therefore, m is A.

All men are dogs.
Nekkid Barrel Man is a Man.
Therefore Nekkid Barrel Man is a Dog.

Isn't this fun.

This is what we went over in class today. Chains of reasoning that are difficult to understand, but we use them all the damn time in real life. That is, we use logic to determine what it is we are going to do today, what we are going to think today, etc. Rationalizations abound, and we use THOSE to justify our train of thought and our processes of doing things.

Girls like to pee en masse.
I am a girl.
I like to pee en masse.

Now the difference between good logic and bad logic, both of the above forms are BAD logic, by the way, is the coherent argument that is created by proper form and proper content. Girls pee in groups. That is a pretty good fact. We all know that. We also know that I'm a girl. But that doesn't mean that I take my wizz breaks with the others. Not always true.

God is love.
Love is blind.
Ray Charles is blind.
Therefore, Ray Charles is God.

My students insist that I should change Ray Charles to Stevie Wonder. Kids these days....

Stereotypes are based on faulty assumptions and logic. Making generalized statements are based on realities that are not always in check. Content may not be appropriate, yet logical validity exists. Sounds crazy, huh. But think about it. What are the generalizations that you've made today? What are they based on?

Just a thought about the craziness. Breaking down things into manageable peices makes life a little easier, but harder to look at. We challenge assumptions, only to have our own challenged. Are you ever the same afterwards? I doubt it. But knowledge makes a bloody entrance. Go with it.

Voodoo

posted by Voodoo Child @ 4:57:00 PM