Mind Mastery

Rationality is man’s basic virtue, the source of all his other virtues. Man’s basic vice, the source of all his evils, is the act of unfocusing his mind, the suspension of his consciousness, which is not blindness, but the refusal to see, not ignorance, but the refusal to know. Irrationality is the rejection of man’s means of survival and, therefore, a commitment to a course of blind destruction; that which is anti-mind, is anti-life. 

- Ayn rand

What is logic?

Logic/rationality/reason are all considered essentially the same thing in Utopian Realism and these words can be used interchangeably. 

Reason is the prime virtue of Utopian Realism. Without it, no other virtues, values or adherence to morality is possible.

Without reason, how would one logically conclude, decide or judge that virtues or values are of benefit to them? They would have to wait until an authority figure told them so and take it on faith that it were so.

Without reason, why would one adhere to a moral guideline? What would be the rationale to treat others as you wish to be treated if you could not logically grasp the reasoning why you should?

How could one adhere to a code of conduct if they couldn't grasp what the code was?

This is good point to offer a historical example of christians or other religious zealots violating their own commandments to not kill, yet waging holy crusades, massacring thousands. It is because they used a process of faith and feeling to validate the commandments and to live. They said they lived by the word of god and his commandments, yet in reality did not, which is obviously illogical. Yet they could not understand the contradiction because they were not using a proper method of interacting with existence, a logical method of thinking.

How could one be good if they didn't know what was good or how to behave in a way which is good? if they did good deeds, it would have to be by accident or because of indoctrination, not because of sound judgement and free will choice.

Logic is the proper way to form judgements, conclusions and to think.

If one is forming opinions or ideas which are not true or connected to reality (unless deliberately thinking in fantasy/imagination) then they are being illogical.

Reason and logic is having a thorough and accurate understanding of how reality works and by then making logical inferences (step by step connections) about it.

Logic is a method of correct thinking which should be used by man 100% of the time when attempting to form true concepts or to act in the most appropriate way in any given situation.

Even in the times when man volitionally decides not to think logically and to suspend his use of logic, he should only do so because it is logical. Such as to play a game, create a fantasy character for a movie or to engage in art etc…

There is hardly ever a valid time in reality when logic should not be the method of thinking.

If you vote for politicians who always promise change and never deliver, again and again and again, logic dictates you have failed to recognise an obvious pattern.

To be illogical is to ignore reality, facts, statistics, experiments and science and instead favour pseudo-science, fantasy and delusion.

Logic is the method of identifying and validating reality. 

Logic must be coupled with evidence based reality to be logical. One may have a logical argument that sounds right in theory, but when experimented or tested in reality, does not hold true, so thus the logical sounding theory was in fact not correct, which means it is only logical to recreate the theory.

If a pencil drops to the ground 9,999 times, you can logically predict in the same conditions that it will do the same thing the 10,000^th time.

One may come across a very clever sounding argument that insists it is logical, yet one can clearly see a contradiction in reality against this argument, which thus voids the arguments insistence of logic, when it is actually an illogical argument in contradiction to reality. 

For instance, when one believes the theory that god created everything. It may sound logical when compared to other theories, such as the big bang, but because there is no evidence to back up either theory, only reasonable sounding arguments, they are both illogical theories.

To really grasp reason and logic, one can contrast it with it’s opposite, which is faith.

Faith is blind belief, based on no evidence, only feeling and wishful thinking, in contrary to reality and reason.

Faith is the imagining that ones desire and will alone can make true that which has a total lack of evidence.

Faith is the belief that ones feelings can overpower reality's absence of reason for something to exist and manifest the impossible, the illogical and the non-existent.

In abandoning the will to think rationally, one abandons the will to live rationally.

Many people use feeling as their primary method of cognition. 

This is inappropriate and inaccurate. 

Feelings can provide one with feedback which could be accurate or inaccurate, correct or incorrect. 

It is a way to perceive the world, but must be coupled with sound reasoning and logic to be valid.

Would you want to live in a tall building which was built by someone only using feeling and no logic?

Would you fly in a plane that was constructed without the application of logic?

Would you feel safe driving a car that had been built by someone illogical?

If a politician is caught lying multiple times, you can logically calculate that someone who lies and gets caught multiple times is someone who cannot be trusted.

If you trust a proven liar not to lie, you’re being illogical.

To believe a tornado going through a junkyard full of scrap can somehow assemble itself into a Boeing 747 is illogical, as it is not possible. 

Even if you had infinite junkyards with infinite tornadoes going through an infinite amount of times per day for infinity.

It is not logically possible, it’s an impossibility. It’s false.

Logic is the ability to discern what is true and what is false.

Some people feel that being logical means that you have to throw away your heart and compassion.

This is not true at all, it’s actually illogical to presume such a thing.

Ones heart and compassion is of great value. 

Without heart and compassion, it’s logical to assess people will end up becoming trapped in dystopia.

To function at optimal levels, it’s logical to factor in emotions, heart and compassion for whatever you’re using logic to accomplish.

Without logic, we are unable to operate in a truthful way according to the facts of reality.

If we don't have logic or use it inaccurately, we can be easily played by someone who does have logic, but bad intentions.

Logic is the most reliable and accurate to reality method of asking questions and getting answers.

It is a goal oriented method of producing results. It is the tool intelligent beings use to formulate and achieve goals. If the goal is logically not possible in reality, then it is an illogical goal. If the means of achieving the goal are not possible, then it is illogical. If the goal and method to achieve it is realistic, then it is logical.

If one were to say they want there to be fairness, equality and justice for all, yet at the same time advocates financial re-distribution, this is illogical, as it is a contradiction. Financial re-distribution requires the use of threats and violence to forcefully take from the rich, who have fairly earned it (sometimes at least!) and give to the poor, who have not fairly earned it. The method of cognition which was used to decide this desire was one of feeling, not of a rationally thought out inferential process.

If one was to say that women are equal to men in every aspect, they would be uttering an illogical statement. Men are typically stronger and women are typically more empathetic. They are not equal in every aspect, this is wrong, so thus an illogical statement.

If one were to say that all humans should have equal rights, yet husbands should have the right to make their wives wear burqas (or any specified type of clothing) this would be illogical, as it would be placing the wife's rights beneath that of the husbands, which contradicts the first statement of wishing all humans to have equal human rights.

If ones goal was to build a tunnel, yet their method of construction relied upon bamboo being the primary support structure, this is illogical, as this material is not strong enough to support this function.

If a man found his partner cheating on him, yet decided to attack the unknown male, this is totally illogical, as the unknown man had no idea the woman was in a relationship and he wasn't the one who cheated on the partner. The man should be angry or be addressing her, not the stranger.

If one wanted to build a great body, it would be illogical to assume they could by eating junkfood and not exercising.

If one believed they did not have free will, yet made the choice to believe that they didn't, in contradiction to the available evidence, which is to freely choose what they believe, this would be illogical.

If one wanted to build a computer, it is logical to have all the required components and skills to do so.

If someone has black skin, but tells everyone they have white skin, this would be illogical as it contradicts the facts of reality.

If one wanted to support eco friendly technology and support the green movement, it would be illogical to buy a tesla or other electric car, as the environmental damage caused by it’s recharging and battery creation is more damaging than petrol cars. Although at the same time, petrol cars are still an illogical choice as they cause pollution. Although, if one does not have any option but still needs to travel, it is only logical to choose the least destructive option.

If one makes a claim that there exists an infinitely sized space outside of earths atmosphere, it is only logical to verify this claim before believing it to be true. If there is no evidence to support the claim, then the claim is illogical and wrong.

If there is reason to believe something is true, like an accumulation of evidence which proves something to be true, then it is logical to stop believing something to be true and to know it is true. One does not need to believe the internet works, they have reason to know it does via inductive proof.

When one is being logical, they are using experience, skill, knowledge and evidence to determine their method of thinking, reasoning and acting.

When one is not being logical, they are disregarding facts, evidence or any type of rational thought or processes.

It is illogical to be legally allowed to smoke weed on a particular piece of land, then move 1cm onto another plot of land and suddenly have it become an offence, immoral and illegal. This concept is irrational and cannot be logically justified. It can only be justified by ones feelings and whims of the moment, which is an invalid form of justification as it is unreasonable and irrational.

It is illogical to believe one has the right to rule you because they stand on a podium and publicly declare it to be so. How would it be rational to believe one has a higher claim to rule you than you?

Logic is working with the facts of reality as ones guideposts on how to act and think correctly.

Faith, feeling and action devoid of logic is deciding to not work with the facts of reality and to work with whatever you want to be true, irrespective of whether it is true or not.

When one allows onesefl to be clouded by their feeling, it is illogical.

If one were to break down into tears when someone they loved has died, this is a rational, reaosnable and logical response.

if ones child had been in an accient and was in the hospital, it is a reasonable response to be upset and worried.

If ones child has a nose bleed, it is irrational to break down into tears and call an ambulance (unless they have a serious medical condition).

Emotion can be rational and irrational. Either way, for one to make proper judgements, emotions must be coupled with logic. One can make a logical judgement with or without emotion, but one cannot make a logical judgement with only emotion and no logic.

One can only use reason when they have a basic grasp of reality. 

A baby cannot use reason because they do not know what is reasonable and unreasonable yet. 

A baby does not know it's hand will burn on the stove, that if it goes into the bath it will become wet or if it shakes the rattle it makes noise. 

It is only after going through these experiences and learning what is natural and that specific entities have an identity, a nature as to how they act (stove is hot, water is wet, rattle makes sound), that the baby can then grow into a child and then an adult and know what is reasonable and what is not, according to reality.

Even if one were to find themselves in a totally different world with different laws and physics, down is up, left is in, out is closer, further is right, heavy is light, light is dark etc. One would have to logically suspend all they knew about reality to now grasp this new reality.

They would have to learn how this new world worked so then they could once again live logically according to it's rules. 

They would have to use logic to learn these new rules, by dropping something and watching it rise instead of fall etc. 

There is no escaping logic logically, only deliberate evasion in a futile attempt to cling to unrealistic wishes, hoping irrationally that your faith alone can over power existence.

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The virtue of Rationality means the recognition and acceptance of reason as one’s only source of knowledge, one’s only judge of values and one’s only guide to action. It means one’s total commitment to a state of full, conscious awareness, to the maintenance of a full mental focus in all issues, in all choices, in all of one’s waking hours. It means a commitment to the fullest perception of reality within one’s power and to the constant, active expansion of one’s perception, i.e., of one’s knowledge. It means a commitment to the reality of one’s own existence, i.e., to the principle that all of one’s goals, values and actions take place in reality and, therefore, that one must never place any value or consideration whatsoever above one’s perception of reality. It means a commitment to the principle that all of one’s convictions, values, goals, desires and actions must be based on, derived from, chosen and validated by a process of thought—as precise and scrupulous a process of thought, directed by as ruthlessly strict an application of logic, as one’s fullest capacity permits. It means one’s acceptance of the responsibility of forming one’s own judgments and of living by the work of one’s own mind (which is the virtue of Independence). It means that one must never sacrifice one’s convictions to the opinions or wishes of others (which is the virtue of Integrity)—that one must never attempt to fake reality in any manner (which is the virtue of Honesty) —that one must never seek or grant the unearned and undeserved, neither in matter nor in spirit (which is the virtue of Justice). It means that one must never desire effects without causes, and that one must never enact a cause without assuming full responsibility for its effects—that one must never act like a zombie, i.e., without knowing one’s own purposes and motives—that one must never make any decisions, form any convictions or seek any values out of context, i.e., apart from or against the total, integrated sum of one’s knowledge—and, above all, that one must never seek to get away with contradictions. It means the rejection of any form of mysticism, i.e., any claim to some nonsensory, nonrational, nondefinable, supernatural source of knowledge. It means a commitment to reason, not in sporadic fits or on selected issues or in special emergencies, but as a permanent way of life.

If man’s thinking is to be valid, this process must be guided by logic, “the art of noncontradictory identification”—and any new concept man forms must be integrated without contradiction into the hierarchical structure of his knowledge. To introduce into one’s consciousness any idea that cannot be so integrated, an idea not derived from reality, not validated by a process of reason, not subject to rational examination or judgment—and worse: an idea that clashes with the rest of one’s concepts and understanding of reality—is to sabotage the integrative function of consciousness, to undercut the rest of one’s convictions and kill one’s capacity to be certain of anything. This is the meaning of John Galt’s statement in Atlas Shrugged that “the alleged shortcut to knowledge, which is faith, is only a short circuit destroying the mind.”

There is no greater self-delusion than to imagine that one can render unto reason that which is reason’s and unto faith that which is faith’s. Faith cannot be circumscribed or delimited; to surrender one’s consciousness by an inch, is to surrender one’s consciousness in total. Either reason is an absolute to a mind or it is not—and if it is not, there is no place to draw the line, no principle by which to draw it, no barrier faith cannot cross, no part of one’s life faith cannot invade: one remains rational until and unless one’s feelings decree otherwise.

- Ayn Rand