Father Of Logic Essay

In the area of mathematics, it has been stated that Aristotle “is the real father of logic” (Thompson, 1975, p. 7) and although it may be a minor exaggeration, it is not far off the truth. Aristotle’s ideas on philosophy and logic were great advancers in Western culture, and are still being discussed and taught today. The ancient Greeks focused their mathematics on many areas, but one main question continuously asked by the Greeks was “what are good arguments?” (Marke & Mycielski, 2001, pg. 449). This question brought about the study of logic. Aristotle’s philosophy on the importance of logic was unique for his time as he believed that logic had to be considered in all disciplines, and that the aim of logic was to provide a system that allowed one to “investigate, classify, and evaluate good and bad forms of reasoning” (Groarke). Aristotle studied and contributed to various disciplines including philosophy, science, and astronomy, but his greatest influence was in the study of mathematical logic and more specifically, the introduction of syllogism. As Ulrich (1953) states, “any discussion of syllogism necessarily involves logic as it is the field that the syllogism plays a very important role” (p. 311). Aristotle’s ideas surrounding logic and syllogism are still being used in mathematics today, and over the course of history they have influenced many mathematicians’ areas of study.

(Marek & Mycielski, 2001)

Influence on Aristotelian Logic

In order to understand Aristotle’s influence on mathematical logic, it is important to understand his life and the people that influenced his studies. Aristotle was born in 384 BCE in Stagira, which was an ancient city in Greece located on the Chalkidiki peninsula (Amadio & Kenny). In 367 B...

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...ead of as an axiomization of a body of knowledge” (Andrade & Becerra, 2008, p. 310).

Conclusion

Aristotle’s philosophy of logic and syllogism introduced a system of formal thought. One in which emphasis was placed on answering logical questions through using proof, deduction and reasoning. This contribution to the field of logic allowed future academics to draw connections of previous unknowns in many areas of study, but most notably in the field of mathematics. Aristotle’s contribution to logic, by introducing a system of syllogism, became influential within many disciplines, and his ideas remained a great focal point for many centuries. Although Aristotle will forever be seen as a great philosopher, his influence of the syllogism was one that greatly advanced the area of mathematical logic and opened the gateway for many more mathematical discoveries and ideas.