Ebook: Logic | ЛОГИКА

Logical thinking is not inborn, but can and must be developed in various ways. The systematic study of the science of logic is one of the most effective means to develop logical abstract thinking. An interesting method of the development of thought is the resolution of logical problems. The American mathematician Raymond M. Smullyan has devised a large number of instructive problems in this context.

Let us examine one of them. A man was accused of a robbery. Present in court were a prosecuting counsel and one for the defence. The prosecuting lawyer stated, "If the accused is guilty, then he had an accomplice." To which the defence counsel replied, "It's not true." He could have said nothing worse. In so doing, he not only admitted the guilt of the defendant, but laid the sole responsibility for the crime on his shoulders, thus exposing him to a greater degree of punishment. The defence counsel made this mistake because he was unable to correctly formulate his thoughts.