LES 4: Activities of the Human Mind/Operations of the Human Mind

1. Simple Apprehension

2. Judgments & Propositions

3. Reasoning

3 Main Operations of the Human Mind

Simple Apprehension

One of the main operations of the human mind

Mind’s initial step in understanding

We form a basic idea of something without making any judgments about it

When we see a tree for the first time, our mind forms an image/concept of a tree.

Example of Simple Apprehension

Concept

Mental grasp of an object or idea without affirming or denying anything about it

Term

Verbal or written expression of a concept

Linguistic expression of the mental image

Example: Tree

Ideogenesis

Process by which the mind forms concepts

1. Sensory Perception

2. Abstract Understanding

How does Ideogenesis occur?

1. Sensory Perception: When we touch a cold surface, we initially use our sensation of touch. After, we notice the chill and smoothness.

2. Abstract Understanding: Our mind then extracts these sensations to form the concept of “coldness”.

Example of Ideogenesis

Judgment

One of the main operations of the human mind

Mind affirms or denies something about a concept

Leads to propositions

Proposition

One of the main operations of the human mind

Building blocks of reasoning

Statement that combines two or more concepts declares something as true or false

1. Subject

2. Predicate

What must a proposition have?

Subject: Sun

Predicate: Hot

Judgment: We affirm that the sun is hot.

Identify the components of the following Affirmative Proposition:

The sun is hot.

Subject: Birds

Predicate: Not mammals

Judgment: We deny that birds belong to the mammal category.

Identify the components of the following Negative Proposition:

Birds are not mammals.

Logical Relations

Connections that determine how propositions support or contradict each other

Form the basis for logical reasoning

1. Contradiction

2. Contrariety

3. Subalternation

3 Types of Logical Relations

Contradiction

One of the types of logical relations

One must be true, the other must be false

Contradiction

Identify the Logical Relation between the following propositions:

• All dogs are friendly.

• Some dogs are not friendly.

Contrariety

One of the types of logical relations

Both can be false, but both can’t be true at the same time

Contrariety

Identify the Logical Relation between the following propositions:

• All politicians are honest.

• No politicians are honest.

Subalternation

One of the types of logical relations

If the general statement is true, the specific must be true too

Subalternation

Identify the Logical Relation between the following propositions:

• All students must take exams

• Paul is a student, so he must take exams

Reasoning

One of the main operations of the human mind

Includes:

• Inference

• Syllogisms

Inference

Process of deriving a conclusion from one or more propositions

(Example: All men are mortal. Socrates is a man. Therefore, Socrates is mortal.)

Syllogisms

Structured arguments used in reasoning

1. Categorical Syllogism

2. Hypothetical Syllogism

2 Types of Syllogisms

Categorical Syllogism

One of the types of syllogisms

Used when dealing with absolute statements like “all”, “some”, or “none”

Categorical Syllogism

Identify the type of syllogism for the following example:

All birds have feathers.

An eagle is a bird.

Therefore, an eagle has feathers.

Hypothetical Syllogism

One of the types of syllogisms

Uses if-then logic

Hypothetical Syllogism

Identify the type of syllogism for the following example:

If it rains, the ground will be wet.

It is raining.

Therefore, the ground is wet.