“No single method of knowing can produce knowledge”
I think about how logic can be used to support, if not create our decisions and judgements. This essay will examine the role of logic and reason in various areas of knowledge.
A reliable way to know is through reason. I believe it is because emotion can block us from seeing things clearly or judging people. By allowing emotions to take over, the mind can blur. Take for instance a victim who needs to identify their perpetrator. She might receive information that leads her to give an incorrect response. If the woman does not get emotionally affected by questions that could cause her to forget or misremember, then her logic will come into play and she can give clear answers. By referring to an actual life scenario, I can show how deductive logic is useful in Mathematics. Take Euclidean Geometry for instance. It states, “The angle is a straight-line is 180 degrees”. The premises can be as follows: If we have two straight lines C and D, and they cross C in such a way that creates the angles x andy. What if angle x = 39? What would be the size angle y? On the basis of the information that we possess and the rules, we are able to deduce the angle as: 180°? – 39? = 141?
In contrast, reason does not always lead to reliable conclusions. This is related to analogical arguments and reasoning, which can often make us unable of seeing past the surface. A person who doesn’t enjoy prawns will likely not also like oysters since both are crustaceans.
A real-life example will also help me to recall the argument put forth by Thomas Reid, a philosopher from 1785, that there is life on other worlds. Reid made many observations about the Earth’s similarities to the planets in the solar system. This could have a connection with Natural Science. All orbits have a sun and several of them have moons. They also all revolve around an axis. He concludes that it’s “not unreasonable to believe” that these planets could, like Earth, be home to various living creatures. This is the easiest and most common way to support a hypothesis.
This statement could be true. Natural Science, for instance, can help us understand the Northern Lights. As charged particles from Earth’s magnetosphere collide with atoms, the extra energy they absorb is manifested as light. Protons and electronic particles are sent into space when the sun fuse hydrogen and helium. So, it follows that first we need to experience the event in order to be able assess the knowledge. It is impossible to understand and share information about events that take place without the senses. As such, the foundation of knowledge sharing is sense perception. Even if we see what happened and we can deduce the truth through reasoning, we still need language to be able communicate and share our ‘perfect knowledge.’
I do not believe I can base my entire knowledge on reason alone. I would combine multiple methods of knowing in order to get a better knowledge.
