Logic and philosophy (Q2783398)

This is the unchanged second edition of a book of which a first edition appeared already in 1976 in the former German Democratic Republic (GDR) [Deutscher Verlag der Wissenschaften, Berlin (1976)]. It aims at the logical analysis of philosophical terms, theories and conceptions keeping the technical apparatus to a minimum. It argues against all irrational and anti-logical tendencies in philosophy showing that certain logical standards are indispensable for every scientific philosophy (p. iii). The author follows largely the logical theory of A. A. Zinov'ev [see, e.g., \textit{A. Sinowjew} and \textit{H. Wessel}, ``Logische Sprachregeln'', Deutscher Verlag der Wissenschaften, Berlin (1975; Zbl 0307.02002)]. NEWLINENEWLINENEWLINEThe new edition is unchanged, because it is presented as a contemporary document for the philosophy in the GDR. It stands, however, for the at that time non-standard view that logic is a regular part of philosophy.NEWLINENEWLINENEWLINEThe introduction to the second edition (pp. iii--viii) gives a readable criticism of some accounts of the history of logic in the former GDR thereby supplementing the informative papers by \textit{C. F. Gethmann} [``Formale Logik und Dialektik'', in: C. Burrichter (ed.): Ein kurzer Frühling der Philosophie, Paderborn (1984)] and \textit{G. Schenk} [``Zur Logikentwicklung in der DDR'', Modern Logic 5, 248-269 (1995; Zbl 0832.03003)].NEWLINENEWLINENEWLINEIn ch. 1 the author gives a sketch of logic (classical and nonclassical propositional logic, the theory of quantifiers, term logic, logic of classes, logic of relations) providing the tool for his analyses. NEWLINENEWLINENEWLINECh. 2 is devoted to the problem of the foundations of logic. The author discusses ontological, conventionalistic and dialogical approaches to this problem and considers finally the relation between logic and dialectic, arguing that if dialectic is regarded as the science of the general laws of motion and development of nature, the society of man and thought, and logic as the science investigating certain aspects of terms, statements and logical operators, then there can be no opposition between both sciences because they deal with different objects (p. 65).NEWLINENEWLINENEWLINEIn the next two chapters terms are analyzed, in ch. 4 philosophical terms like ``to be'', ``existence'', ``development'', ``identity'', ``thing in itself'', and ``God'', in ch. 5 epistemological terms, especially the notion of truth.NEWLINENEWLINENEWLINEThe author then discusses modalities rejecting the claims of fatalism (everything happening is necessary), anti-fatalism (everything happening is not necessary), and tychism (everything happening is accidental).NEWLINENEWLINENEWLINEThe book closes with a critical examination of I. Kant's four antinomies of his ``Critique of pure reason.'' NEWLINENEWLINENEWLINEThe book gives a very vivid example of how to apply modern logic to traditional philosophical notions and arguments.