Logic

BBA/BS & MBA

Introduction To Logic
Module 1

Course Lecturer: Farhan Mir

Introduction to Logic
Basic Concepts and Integration with
Business World
What do you think about this picture?

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And this one?

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 Great Sayings
• We can fool some of the people , all of the time , and
all of the people , some of the time but not all of the
people , all of the time. (Abraham linken)

• A king can stand people fighting, but he cannot last

long, if people start thinking. (Wil Rogers).

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 Why Study Logic?
• To sharpen the minds in the world saturated by
stream of propaganda and advertising.
• To know when a pitchman in conning you and
when some expert or Panduit is proponing and
dubious philosophy.
• To develop a tenable argument and respect for
good reasoning.
• To become more adept at problem solving,
whether it counters in business , science,
computer science or politics.
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 Course Objectives
1. Sharpen the intellect of the
students.
2. Develop their learning ability;
3. Strengthening their understanding;
and,
4. Promote clear thinking;

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 Benefits of Studying Logic
• Supports the use of our reasoning powers
• Helps to make them more dependable
• We learn how to defend judgments
• Using logic we bring our intellectual capacities to
maturity and fruitfulness
• We learn to distinguish good arguments from bad
ones

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 Benefits of Studying Logic
• Logical behavior
• Logical mind
• The study of logic helps one to reason well by
illuminating the principles of correct reasoning

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 We be able to identify
Illogical – procedures or inferences that are faulty, not rationally
defensible
 Benefits of Studying Logic
• We learn the principles of clear and accurate thinking
• Skills of correct reasoning never become obsolete
• To learn how to test arguments and to evaluate them.

• We learn the principles of clear and accurate thinking

• Skills of correct reasoning never become obsolete
• To learn how to test arguments and to evaluate them.

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 Subject Matter of Logic
Methods and techniques of logic that
distinguish efficiently between correct and
incorrect reasoning are the subject matter of logic.

Text Book
• Introduction to Logic
• Irving M. Copi, Carl Cohen, Kenneth McMahon
• Fourteenth Edition
• Plus Other reading materials

• Bring text book to Every Class, its COMPULSORY!

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 DEFINITIONs of Logic
• Generally, Logic is understood as the science and art
of correct thinking (Cruz, 1995).

• Logic as an art, it guides man’s reasoning so he can

proceed with order and ease and without error in
the constructive activity of making definitions of
terms, propositions and inferences.( Gualdo, 2000)

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 Definition
• Derived from the Greek word ”logos” which
means - study, reason or discourse

• LOGIC is the science and art of correct

thinking

- it is a SCIENCE because it is a
systematized body of logical truths and
principles governing correct thinking
 - as an ART, logic is a “techne” and it
teaches how to make a good argument
- often called the arts of arts because it
develops and perfects the intellect which
all artists need in their work
 Logic and correct thinking

• It is “correct” when it conforms to a pattern or to

rules
• Example: A ruler is 12-inch long
Pres. GMA is a ruler
Therefore, Pres. GMA is 12-inch long
-THINKING is a mental process – involves analysis,
definition, classification, comparison and contrasts,
etc.
- It guides or directs man to form correct ideas
 Roots of Logic
• PHILOSOPY..
• The ancient definition is the traditional concept of
philosophy which comes from the Greek terms “philos”
meaning “love” and “sophia” means “wisdom” or
“knowledge”. Therefore, philosophy is ordinarily and
etymologically construed as the love for wisdom or
knowledge.
• “Philosophy is the systematic inquiry into the
principles and presupposition of any field of inquiry.”
• “Psychologically, philosophy is an attitude, an
approach, or a calling to answer, or to ask, or even to
comment upon certain peculiar problems. “

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Great Minds of Philosophy (Logic)

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 What is Logic ?
• Logic is the study of the methods and
principles used to distinguish correct from
incorrect reasoning.

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 What is correct reasoning?
If the premises do provide adequate
grounds for accepting the conclusion, if
asserting the premises to be true does
warrant asserting the conclusions also to
be true, then the reasoning is correct
otherwise it is incorrect.

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 Reasoning
• Reasoning is a special kind of thinking in which
problems are solved, in which inference take place,
that is, in which conclusion are drawn from premises.

• Our ability to use reasoning is our most reliable and

successful means for developing sound judgments
around the world around us.

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 Reasoning
• There is no area of life where reasoning is completely
irrelevant or wasted.
• To give up on reasoning would mean to give up on
thinking itself.
• Logic is undeniable: In order to attempt to refute it,
one has to use it… thereby affirming it.
• “I can’t speak a word in English”. The statement
itself has been negated.
• I don’t exist.”

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 Reasoning
• Can one take or leave logic?
• Is logic only applicable to certain topics?
• Is logic optional or true only for fields of inquiry?
• One cannot not use logic.
• Logic/reason is a precondition of all intelligible
thinking.
• Without logic there would be no such things or
concepts as true or false.

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 Why Logic is Important for
Management Science?
• Consists of unwritten rules, which set up a framework for companies’
mode of action and possibilities for custom-oriented actions.
• Sloan Jr. (1950, p 58) ”There is a logical way of doing business in
accordance with the facts and circumstances of an industry… ”
• Then what need to do? Understand, adapt to it or to break with it,
thereby creating something new
• Way of thinking utilized by business executives
• Part of business decision making process
• Utilized for scientific approach
• Objective, waive the subjectivity
• Solid, firm baseline
• Arguable, debatable
• Requires for quantitative analysis
• Complements qualitative analysis

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• Understanding the logic in business and reasoning behind a
given aspect of reality
• We may be able to adapt, grow, leverage and capitalize
using the same reasoning particularly in challenging
situation
• Logic link cause to effect, action to reaction and input to
output in business world
• By finding result, we use logic to analyze
• Basis of learning methodology and decision making
• Bad logic link effect to false cause (“Fallacy”)
• Catalyst of reason, the foundation of experimentation and
the weakness of a lie

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• When applied in strategic management
process, it involves generation and application
of unique business insights and opportunities
• In the end, it is aimed to form competitive
advantage of an organization
• Done individually or collaboratively to shape
organization’s future

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 Logic Competency in Business
• Citing Jeanne Liedtka (1998)
• Systems perspective
• Understand implications of strategic actions
and has complete end-to-end system of value
creation, his or her role within it
• Intent focused
• To marshal and leverage their energy, to focus
attention, to resist distraction, and to
concentrate at the max achieving a goal
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• Thinking in time
– Hold past, present and future in mind at same
time creating better decision making and speed
implementation
• Hypothesis driven
– Ensuring creative and critical thinking
incorporated into strategy making
• Intelligent opportunism
• Being responsive to good opportunities

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