Colloque

The Notion of Formal Logic

Bernard Flynn

Membre a labase

Bernard Flynn

Résumé du colloque

Among some modern logicians there is a doctrine that Formal Logic is a science of empty forms and that these forms have no reference to reality. This doctrine is contrary to the Scholastic notion of Logic. While it is true that some rules of Formal Logic have absolute universality, this is not because the subject of Logic is an empty form. Logic is an art whose purpose is to direct the human intellect in attaining the truth about things. In order to do this it studies second intentions, which are relations based upon first intentions. If a rule of Formal Logic applies universally, it is because of a sameness in objects and not because of an indifference to them.