All you need to know about Logic in Research while decoding Arguments, Reasoning, and Statements.

Research in its true essence has always been scientific. You must have heard how research is always empirical, scientific, fact-based, objective, systematic, predictive, public, etc.

All of these are qualities or features that make research so crucial in all fields and industries.

All these defining adjectives are the very reason behind logic being so important in research.

Imagine if you conducted research with illogical assumptions like water is dry and you can prove it or the earth is flat etc you won't ever reach an actual factual logical conclusion. Because you are just driven to prove a point that's not valid enough.

In the simplest definition of logic to exist, it means a sensible reason or way of thinking or the science of using reason (as per the definition from Oxford Languages).

Now logic may not necessarily be scientific, the reasoning in logic is always scientific. For eg: you may say that there's gravity on earth that keeps us grounded or else we would be floating as we do in space.

Now, this is a logical statement. Because this logical statement is backed by scientific argument and reasoning that is- Newton has already given us the Law of Gravity and this statement is a scientifically approved fact.

On the contrary, if you say, there's no gravity on earth and we are ground because of earth’s magnetic force and our bodies having certain magnetic energies- as strong as your logic may be, it's going to need scientific reasoning to back it up. You will have to scientifically prove your statement for it to be logical. 

When it comes to empiricism if you say 2+2= 5 your argument is going to lack logic. This is because empiricism assures that if you keep doing the same procedure using the same methods under the same circumstances you will get the same results and as per that logic mathematicians have proved 2+2= 4.

Therefore when we talk about a logical argument in research we talk about an argument backed by statements of reasoning.

We are getting close to breaking down the whole concept of Logic in Research but it can get a little confusing to put together. But this blog article is here to help.

Logic in Research: The Definition.

As per the Definition, “ The subject matter of Logic is Arguments, that is, bits of Reasoning concerning which it is claimed that some statement or statements (the premise or premises) provide evidence for the truth of some other statement (the conclusion)”. 

Now you must observe a few words that are being linked to make the definition work or complete. The words or terms are- Arguments, Reasoning, and Statements.

These terms collectively make up the definition of logic but need to be understood individually for them to make sense together. 

According to the definition mentioned above let's sort what we can make out into pointers:

• Logic is made up of arguments.

• Arguments are driven by reasoning.

• The reasoning is backed up by statements that have proof or evidence.

• Arguments are statements where one sets the premise and the other acts as a conclusion to the premise. 

Still too much to process? Let's break down the concepts or terms individually:

Arguments:

We usually look at arguments as a quarrel or fights between two or more people, disagreements in certain viewpoints, etc. But this is not the case in Logic. Logic looks at Arguments as instances of reasoning.

For example, when in research you present an argument you are trying to reason that something could be or could not be the case.

You are not trying to fight in your research paper. You attempt to present an argument that is backed up by some strong reasoning and you believe your argument is correct.

But what is an argument? Arguments are Statements. Just statements. That is backed up by reasoning. Every argument has a minimum of 2 statements.

1 would be the premise and the other 1 would be the conclusion and one statement sets the premise and the other one acts as a conclusion to the premise. 

For eg: you present an argument that states that there is growth in startups in India because the government of India is helping startups with funds to establish their business. Here, you have 2 statements in your argument.

One is the growth of startups in India (which becomes your premise statement) and the other is the government funding startups in India (the conclusion statement to the premise statement).

And this argument will be backed by reasoning where you present facts in favor of your argument and use sensible thinking to establish your argument or viewpoint.

So from the above example, you can understand the definition of argument which states that “Arguments are instances of reasoning concerning which it is claimed that some statement or statements (the premise or premises) provide evidence for the truth of some other statement (the conclusion). 

Statement:

Now that we know what an argument is, you must observe how arguments are made up of statements. And without statements, arguments cannot be established. So what is a statement?

A statement is a verbal formulation that affirms or denies that something is the case. We use statements to establish our arguments. We convey whether the statement wishes to affirm or deny something.

For eg: in the above example of startups in India, we attempt to establish our argument by using the statement that there is growth in startups in India because the government of India is helping startups with funds to establish their business.

This statement is a verbal formulation that confirms or at least affirmatively predicts that this is the case. 

A statement can be either true or false. What this means is that a slight change or modification can make the statement true even if it's probably false. But a statement cannot be partly true and partly false.

For example, if you say the English alphabet has a total of 26 letters or alphabets, it's a true statement. If you say the English alphabets comprise 15 alphabets or letters that will also be true.

But if your statement says there are 28 alphabets that statement becomes false but if you slightly modify it to 26 it becomes true. These characteristics of a statement make it so important to frame one with clarity.

Now that we know about arguments and statements. We can understand that logic is made up of arguments that are made out of statements that either affirm or deny that something is the case and where one statement sets the premise for another statement or conclusion.

But all of these arguments and statements would not make any sense without logical reasoning. So what is the reasoning? Let's find out!

Reasoning:

The most important yet simple aspect when it comes to logic is reasoning. Your argument will be baseless if there is no reasoning backing it.

Your statements won't make a strong argument if there is no logical reasoning. So what is reasoning and why is it so important? 

Reasoning is a particular kind of thinking. We all use common knowledge and sense to come up with a logical explanation for things and this is how we reason.

In reasoning one derives a conclusion from certain “alleged facts and/ or hypothetical assumptions” as per the definition in research. As we discussed earlier logic may not always be scientific but the reason backing it is always scientific.

This is because reasoning is a train of thought that systematically analyses and uses factual or at least sensible assumptions to back it. 

Reasoning is always concerned with the relation between and among statements. As we know in an argument there are a minimum of 2 statements one premise and one conclusion, reasoning will always be concerned with the relationship between the two statements I.e the premise and the conclusion.

For eg: if you say it only rains during the rainy season or monsoon season, this premise will be backed up by logical reasoning of the evaporation and condensation cycle in nature that leads to rains.

This logical reasoning in turn results in the conclusive statement that it only rains during monsoons because the condensation process takes that kind of time and our seasons are timed so.

Reasoning connects the dots between the premise and the conclusion to the premise by acting as strong proof or evidence in support of the premise. 

All of these elements together form logic in Research. But let's go back to the argument for a bit and decode the two types of Argument in Logical Research- The two types of Arguments Inductive Arguments and Deductive Arguments. Let's Learn more about them: 

Inductive Argument: 

As we know, arguments consist of a minimum of 2 statements- 1 premise and 1 conclusion. We also know that the premise helps form the conclusion or the conclusion comes out of the premise.

But as per the Inductive Argument, The premise barely or merely manages to offer some evidence or proof to support the conclusion. It may suggest something but it may not support the conclusion.

What this simply means is that if the premise is true the conclusion can be false. Inductive argument believes that the premise only expresses a probability that the conclusion is true but it does not assure so.

If you look at reasoning it also comes from alleged facts or hypothetical assumptions and this is one of the reasons why an inductive argument believes the premise could be true but the conclusion could be false. 

Advantages of Inductive Argument: since the premise can be true, the premise is often made up of observable facts and verifiable information. You can easily put the premise to the test and get results that could help establish a basis for your conclusion. 

Disadvantages of Inductive Argument: since the conclusion can be false even if the premise is true, your conclusion may not follow from the premise at all. 

Deductive Argument: 

Contrary to the Inductive Argument, the Deductive Argument believes that if the premise is true the conclusion will also be true. It believes that the conclusion follows from the premise only and can not be false.

It comes from the train of thought that the premise has enough conclusive evidence for the conclusion to be true. In a correct deductive argument- if a premise is true the conclusion must be true. 

Advantages of Deductive Argument: the conclusion will necessarily follow from the premise and would not need any verification or testing. 

Disadvantages of Deductive Argument: the premise is frequently doubtful. You must ensure your premise is correct for your conclusion to be correct. 

Let us look at two examples of inductive and deductive arguments to better understand the concept.

For Inductive Argument: let us take the example of inflation in any third-world country. Our premise states clearly that there is inflation rising in third-world countries and we want our conclusion to be that the Russia-Ukraine war leads to it following our premise.

Now your premise of inflation may be true but inflation may not necessarily be rising in third-world countries because of the Russia-Ukraine War.

There could be many other factual reasons behind inflation in third-world countries. What our premise does is simply expresses a probability that the war could be the reason behind inflation. It does not assure so.

The premise can be true but the conclusion may not be true it can be false and does not follow from the premise. 

For Deductive Argument: let us take the example of how Vincent Van Gogh’s Paintings only got Famous after his demise as our premise and let us conclude by saying that after his demise the world could see his grief in his paintings and took interest in his work because he was no more.

This is a prime example of a deductive argument. Here the premise is true and so is the conclusion because there is enough evidence in the premise to back up the conclusion. 

Well, we hope this blog article made Logic in Research a Rather easy concept with this step-by-step breakdown of the same. Keep learning!