Fate Effect Logic

        The second philosophy class elective that I took in college was Logic, and that was my final semester senior year. Now you might think I was already a logical person – I majored in the sciences, adhered to the scientific method, believed in cause and effect, argued with classmates over beers until dawn the case of determinism over free will – so being logical should have been a given. But I guess what one really must conclude is that sometimes logic is situational.

        Logic was a fun class. There were Venn diagrams – and Venn diagrams have math as well as logic applications. I learned that information is given, but conclusions might not necessarily be made from what is given. Another biology major, John T sat next to me – and it was fun getting to know him and enjoy logic class together.

        The teacher, however, Dr. Joly, had difficulties understanding my logic. On more than one occasion after going over an exam with the class, he would stop and say, “Once again, Ms Des Soye, I am not following the answer you gave to this question – could you explain it?” And then I explained and he would usually give me credit –my logic was all right, it was just coming from a different premise than the premise everyone else had started from.

        Isn’t that something? Instead of just marking my answer wrong and taking off points for not thinking like everyone else, Dr. Joly asked where I was coming from, and it turned out to be legitimate – and I got the points!

Sure could use a little more of that in this world!

        Now, this was not some lofty, out of the box kind of thinking on my part during these logic exams. It was usually something much more mundane – like the fact that I did not read the newspaper.

        There is one example that I have remembered all these years – mainly because when it came to light, I was embarrassed by my total ignorance of current events.

        Dr. J – Ms Des Soye, why did you answer the way you did on this particular question?

        D     -  Well it is asking us to conclude that Senator Buckley will vote no on the latest abortion issue, and that is not something we can assume.

        Dr. J – Do you know who Senator Buckley is?

        D     -  Yes, he is our Senator from New York State.

        Dr. J -   And do you not know Senator Buckley’s stand on abortion?

        D     -  I know he is William Buckley’s brother, James, and William is a conservative, and being a conservative, William is probably against abortion, but it would be wrong to assume his brother is also a conservative and against abortion.

        Dr. J – Do you read the newspaper?

        D     -  No.

        Dr. J – Senator Buckley is quite well known for his stand against abortion.

        D     -  Oh

        At the point where I was asked if I read the newspaper, my head was hanging quite low – I deserved every bit of humiliation I was feeling.

        The exam question was a good one for those who equated Senator Buckley with anti-abortion – but not a good logic question for the dunces of the world who did not read the Buffalo Evening News!

        I’m a little bit better about keeping up with current events these days, but logic, ah logic, that often escapes me still!

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