What is logic, and how is it different from mere thinking? In this edition of In Focus, Dr. Timothy Kearns presents the classical art of reasoning—tracing concepts, propositions, and syllogisms; the parts of logic (demonstration, dialectic, rhetoric, and poetics); and common fallacies—while situating them within Greek, medieval, and modern traditions. Far from an abstract pastime, he shows, logic orders thought to truth and clarifies everyday judgment as well as scholarship, offering a Catholic intellectual vision that unites rigor with wisdom.

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Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Logic and Its Importance
02:51 Understanding Logic: Traditional vs. Contemporary Views
05:41 The Relationship Between Logic and Thought
08:53 The Parts of Logic: Demonstration, Dialectic, and Rhetoric
11:54 Demonstration: The Highest Level of Knowledge
17:36 Dialectic: Navigating Probable Truths
21:57 Rhetoric: The Art of Persuasion and Evidence
24:45 Poetics: The Creative Aspect of Logic
27:11 Understanding Poetics and Logic
30:39 The Evolution of Logic Through History
38:01 Logic and the Operations of the Mind
51:59 Rationality and Its Distinction from Animal Intelligence