Understanding logic (#2551)

     The main purpose for using logic is to be able to distinguish between fact and fiction. Fact is where 2+2=4. Fiction is where 2+2= anything but 4. This is about as simple an example as there is and for the most part simplicity does not need us to fact check it every time since it is obvious. The difficulty occurs when fact or fiction is complex. Let's stick with the math example. 2+2x2= what? If we asked a hundred people we would most likely get 2 majority answers. One answer would be 8 and the other answer would be 6. Why the discrepancy? What many people would do is go from left to right to try to solve the equation, 2+2=4x2=8. What many others would do is follow the rules for solving equations, PEMDAS, http://www.mathsisfun.com/operation-order-pemdas.html, or simply known as the "order of operations". By following the rules for solving equations, the multiplication would occur first then the addition. So 2+2x2 would first solve the multiplication, 2x2=4, and then add the 2 to get the correct answer 6, So 2+2x2=6.

     This is why we use logic. So that we all use the same rules for not only numbers in equations but for the meanings of words and sentences. Sentence structure and generally truth telling are main conveyances of our intentions as a foundation. If we generally follow the rules of grammar and don't speak illogical nonsense and gibberish we will likely be successful at communication. If follows that logic is a key to truth and facts. We take what we know to be true and factual and we dispense it out into our society as a means to teach and learn from each other. There are those however who take fallacies and intentional misrepresentations and dispense those out into our society as facts and truths. So the importance of understanding what is actually truth and fact and what isn't can be verified by using logic.
     Fact check what you find complex with other sources. Do not accept only one source for your fact checking. Follow the logic of how the truth or fact came into being, from premise to conclusion. Differentiate between opinion and provable analysis. The key here is that our society allows for free speech and many use that liberty to lie, and many use that liberty to tell the truth. What we need to do is distinguish between who is telling the truth with facts and who is not telling the truth with opinion and misrepresentation.