Single Idea 8084

[catalogued under 4. Formal Logic / A. Syllogistic Logic / 2. Syllogistic Logic]

Full Idea

Syllogisms are useless for discovery, and serve only for verbal fencing.

Gist of Idea

Syllogisms are verbal fencing, not discovery

Source

John Locke (Essay Conc Human Understanding (2nd Ed) [1694]), quoted by Keith Devlin - Goodbye Descartes Ch.3

Book Reference

Devlin,Keith: 'Goodbye Descartes: the end of logic' [Wiley 1997], p.62


A Reaction

This illustrates the low status of logic, and the new high status of experimental science, in Locke's time. Locke's seems to miss the point that you can infer new discoveries from old ones.