The Lost Art of Logic

Amarxica ^ | 10/13/06 | John Reit

[libertarianPA]

I recently took a personality test at my company called Meyers-Briggs. It’s been around since the 1940s, and is used to determine what kind of person the subject is. Apparently, I’m an INTP. I won’t go into the details of what that means, but one big thing it says is that I’m logical; I determine what I think will work in the future based on what’s worked before. Again, this is a personality thing and everyone is different. But honestly, I cannot fathom why so many are so adverse to logic... especially with the issues we face today.

[gcruse]

Logic, much as Newtonian physics, work well in the day to day. It's dangerous when applied to belief systems, though, leading to *gasp* existentialism. Perhaps logic in moderation is best. Heh.

[dmz]

I cannot fathom why so many are so adverse to logic
________________

I cannot fathom why so many are so AVERSE to proofreading.

Whoever gave this guy the MBTI did a crappy job of explaining it to him. For the record, I'm an ENTP. Pegged the E and the P, right down the middle on the N and T.

[ClearCase_guy]

Logic is a tool that helps people solve problems
Solving problems is one way to improve society.
Therefore:
Bush hates poor people

[FreeKeys]

if we have to spend any more taxpayer money on federal programs, I have one suggestion – medical research to repair the defective liberal gene. If we can do that, perhaps we can find viable solutions to our conflicts both here and abroad. ... We’d certainly be a lot safer and more prosperous.

(snicker)

[Doe Eyes]

The article doesn't address the other approach.

When have political isolation and economic sanctions worked?

They were not effective against Saddam Hussein.

[Tijeras_Slim]

Remember when Alamo-Girl posted the results of a bunch of FReepers?

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1588321/posts

[Rurudyne]

Hi from another INTP!

It goes beyond a rejection of logic. I recently came across a quote from George Soros (which I sadly didn't keep) where he says that he's a "critical thinker" and yet he rejects reason.

Without reason, without logic, all that is left of "critical thought" is simply being critical ... a knee-jerk doubter of all certainties.

Which would explain many progressives these days.

[Dead Corpse]

I'm an INTJ. I don't like other people very much as most of you are completely nuts. ;-)

Logic is easy. Trying to understand the reasoning of those who are running on pure emotional vapors makes my blood pressure rise.

[libertarianPA]

But was Hussein really isolated? There were plenty of European nations supporting him.

[Dead Corpse]

I'm in some very good company there. For a personality type that is supposedly only 2% of the world population, we seem to be overly represented here on FR.

Interesting. Not surprising. Just, interesting.

[Prophet in the wilderness]

Dittos...
Liberalism must be a mental disorder, or self destruction, or a gene defect.

[Tijeras_Slim]

:)

[snarks_when_bored]

Strong military or economic retaliation is clearly the only solution, right?

Uh, military retaliation is one thing and economic retaliation quite another. How many artillery pieces does North Korea have aimed at Seoul? Thousands. How many Seoul residents could the North Koreans slaughter before our forces could reduce their artillery threat? Hundreds of thousands. Does North Korea have nukes or dirty bombs or vast quantities of standard munitions in tunnels deep below Seoul? The last best guess is that there are perhaps as many as 3 (or more) undiscovered North Korean tunnels. The questions and difficulties go on and on...

[FreeKeys]

Logic, much as Newtonian physics, work well in the day to day. It's dangerous when applied to belief systems, though, leading to *gasp* existentialism. Perhaps logic in moderation is best. Heh.

Are you serious, or are you joking? Existentialism is one of the most illogical, irrational, fatalistic, anti-life philosophies out there.

It's the abandonment of life, logic, the rational, that gives rise to such phenomena as appeasement of butchers, moral relativism, post-modernism, multiculturalism, communism, naziism, islam, etc., etc. etc.

[east1234]

Recently found out I'm an INTJ, wife is a ESFJ, we're in deep $&!*. lol. But quite seriously these tests really can describe one to a tee, at least it sure did with me.

[Red Badger]

It's dangerous when applied to belief systems...leading to... existentialism

I think therfore I FReep..........

[gcruse]

" Existentialism is one of the most illogical, irrational, fatalistic, anti-life philosophies out there."

See what I mean? Applying logic to one's unexamined belief system is best avoided if the adjective-splatter can't be confined. The Enlightment isn't for the weak.

[Young Werther]

As a Trekkie I always gravitated to Spock. If we all behaved in a logical manner imagine how far we could go!

I think this dynamic was Roddenberry's wayy of focusing on mankind's duality of personality, Logic versus Emotion!

Roddenberry was a fighter pilot and lawyer which he wrapped up in his writing and TV producing personna. Talk about duality!

[thoughtomator]

These personality tests are total BS. My results gave me ESTJ, which is supposed to be a "supervisor" personality subtype. I don't think I've ever had to supervise more than two people at a time in my life, and hated it when I did. Of the four major groupings (rationals, guardians, idealists and artisans), the "guardian" type is the furthest from my actual personality. Moreover, the SJ part was by far the most definite on the test, which is the determinant for the guardian category. All of the other three types are closer to the truth than the one the test says applies to me.