It is impossible to explain to a person the simplest thing and, moreover, to argue with him, write a book, cook dinner, take the subway to the desired station and even just cross the road without using one important ability of the human mind - the ability to think logically. Logic educates the mind and teaches a person to use it most effectively.
It is necessary
- textbooks on the theory of logic;
- practice in defending one's claims;
- experience of discussions and disputes.
Instructions
Step 1
Remember the basic laws of logic. The first law (protects your thinking from ambiguity and vagueness): any thought in the course of reasoning must remain identical to itself. Those. when starting a conversation about a subject, make sure that in the process of your reasoning the meaning of this concept does not change, and you do not begin to contradict yourself in this way. For example, if you started by saying that any addictive drug can be called a drug, do not deny later that cigarettes and coffee are not drugs.
Step 2
The second law (ensures consistency of thinking): two opposite statements cannot be true at the same time, one of them must be false. For example, you claim that you spent Friday night at home, and your friend Fedor says that you were at his house and watched football. Obviously, some of you are lying.
Step 3
The third law (sequence of thinking): one of the two opposite statements is necessarily true.
Step 4
The fourth law (provides evidence of thinking): any correct thought has a convincing basis. For example, it is easy to prove the fact that it has just rained, since the asphalt is wet, water is dripping from the trees, puddles have formed, and many people's clothes are completely wet.
Stick to these laws when starting a conversation with someone or just trying to explain something to another person. If your thinking becomes clear, consistent, consistent, then the words you utter will be, accordingly, more convincing.
Step 5
Stick to a simple structure for proving the claim. Always accurately define the thesis itself (thought, statement). Do not forget that the thesis should need proof, do not replace it in the process of reasoning with another thesis. The arguments that you will select to prove the thesis must be verified (i.e., true), your arguments cannot contradict each other and must be strong enough to prove the thesis. Arguments must have a logical connection with the thesis. For example, the argument “Because he didn’t say hello to him in the morning” will not be enough for the thesis “Vladimir hates Alexei”. Vladimir could simply not notice Alexei and not say hello to him for this reason.
Step 6
Develop your logical thinking, refuting the opponent's thesis. Pick up arguments and prove them false. You can go from the opposite and imagine that the thesis proposed to you is true, then calculate the consequences to which this thesis (if true) will lead. Compare them with known facts. If there is a contradiction, you were able to logically refute the false thesis.
Step 7
You can also engage in indirect refutation and put forward your own thesis that contradicts the opponent's thesis. If the evidence is convincing, then it will be evidence of the falsehood of your opponent's thesis. You can also criticize the arguments or refute the logical connection between the arguments and the thesis.
