logic

thumb|alt=Depiction of inference using modus ponens|Logic studies valid forms of inference like .

AI overview

Logic is the study of valid forms of reasoning that allow us to draw reliable conclusions from what we already know. It matters because understanding logic helps us think clearly and accurately, distinguishing between arguments that genuinely support their conclusions and those that don't.

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Commons category: Logic
hashtag: logic

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Article

39 sections

Contents

Definition
Formal logic
Informal logic
Basic concepts
Premises, conclusions, and truth
Premises and conclusions
Internal structure
Logical truth
Truth tables
Arguments and inferences
Deductive
Ampliative
Fallacies
Definitory and strategic rules
Formal systems
Systems of logic
Aristotelian
Classical
Propositional logic
First-order logic
Extended
Modal logic
Higher order logic
Deviant
Informal
Areas of research
Philosophy of logic and philosophical logic
Metalogic
Mathematical logic
Computational logic
Formal semantics of natural language
Epistemology of logic
History
See also
References
Notes
Citations
Bibliography
External links

thumb|alt=Depiction of inference using modus ponens|Logic studies valid forms of inference like .

Logic is the study of correct reasoning. It includes both formal and informal logic. Formal logic is the study of deductively valid inferences or logical truths. It examines how conclusions follow from premises based on the structure of arguments alone, independent of their topic and content. Informal logic is associated with informal fallacies, critical thinking, and argumentation theory. Informal logic examines arguments expressed in natural language whereas formal logic uses formal language. When used as a countable noun, the term "a logic" refers to a specific logical formal system that articulates a proof system. Logic plays a central role in many fields, such as philosophy, mathematics, computer science, and linguistics.