Logic in Ancient Chinese Poetry

Author: Peng Yilian
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-07-01
Features: Between April and May 2003, more than 10 mainstream media in the capital highlighted the urgent call from 10 renowned logicians and linguists in prominent positions with, expressing concern over the disordered logic and normative language issues in social life. The People's Daily (reporter Su Xilong) reported on the front page that experts discussed the neglect of logic and the incorrect use of the mother tongue in contemporary social life from different perspectives and proposed constructive suggestions on how to improve people's logical thinking and language proficiency. The People's Daily (Overseas Edition) (reporter Liu Guochang) featured a bold headline on the Education, Science, Culture, and Health page: "The Urgent Need to Change the Disordered Logic and Normative Language Phenomena." The article stated that experts expressed concern over the disordered logic and normative language issues across all aspects of social life, strongly calling for further purification of the logical and linguistic environment and the enhancement of people's thinking and expression skills. The Guangming Daily (reporter Li Ruiying) highlighted on the theory page that logic is a summary of long-term thinking experience, a theory and tool for correct thinking and successful communication, serving society with its unique properties and functions. It plays a significant role in improving basic qualities, cultivating rationality and scientific spirit. Experts called on people to learn logical knowledge and consciously develop logical thinking habits, as well as to master logical analysis methods. The China Education Daily (reporter Pan Guolin) published a detailed summary of the experts' remarks under the bold headline "Calling for to Pay Attention to Logic and Language" in two-thirds of the page. The editor noted in the preface that experts reaffirmed the social functions and roles of logic and language, elaborating on the practical significance of learning and promoting logical science from political, economic, cultural, and other perspectives, which would be beneficial for educational and teaching work. The Legal Daily (correspondent Mei Shu'e) emphasized under the title "Logic as an Intrinsic Requirement for Legislative and Judicial Fairness" that one of the main reasons for problems in China's legislative and judicial fields is the lack of logical awareness, logical literacy, and logical thinking skills among some legislative and judicial personnel. The Worker Daily (reporter Wang Jinhai) published a full-page headline in the "News Observation" column: "Let Logic Move Beyond the 'Ivory Tower.'" The article stated: "We are currently facing a certain degree of disordered logic and normative language danger, yet most people have not even realized it." The article added that logic is not just a field of study for a few experts but is closely related to the lives and personal interests of everyone, and it is essential to promote the popularization of logic. The Beijing Daily (reporter Qi Haiyan) reported on the front page with a bold headline: "The Phenomenon of Logical Deficiency Causes Concern," emphasizing that "popularizing logical knowledge and standardizing thinking and language is an urgent task." The call from the experts was made during the "Logic, Language, and Social Life" symposium held on the 21st anniversary of the founding of the China Correspondence University of Logic and Language. I attended this symposium and delivered a keynote speech. From the strong calls by the experts and the powerful coverage by the media, we can sense that—Logic, as the theory of correct thinking and successful communication, is a fundamental and tool-based science. Logical thinking has been humans, permeating all aspects of social life, everywhere and at all times. However, in today's Chinese society, the phenomena of disordered logic and normative language issues have reached a certain level of severity. Whether in legal clauses, economic contracts, decision-making arguments, advertisements, official speeches, teacher lectures, or media reports, it is almost impossible to find a situation without ambiguous concepts, incorrect reasoning, unscientific arguments, or non-standardized language. These logical and linguistic issues hinder people's normal lives and sometimes even lead to extremely serious consequences.—It is heartening that a group of responsible scholars have paid attention to and emphasized the issues of disordered logic and normative language in social life. They have issued calls and proposed solutions. Equally encouraging is that a group of sensitive journalists have taken note of the experts' opinions and promptly reflected their sentiments. I would like to add that leaders from relevant departments also expressed excellent views at the symposium, sharing a high degree of consensus with the experts. I believe that if everyone takes action together and collaborates to promote the popularization of logic, fully leveraging its social functions, the phenomena of disordered logic and lost language in social life will improve in the near future.
(II) Compiling the "Logic in Time and Space" series can be seen as a concrete action to address the experts' calls. Our starting point is to popularize logical knowledge to society, leverage its social functions, promote healthy and effective thinking across the society, cultivate people's rational character and scientific spirit, and serve the country's economic construction and social harmony. Fifteen years ago, I had the opportunity to read the manuscript of "Effective Thinking" translated by Professor L. S. Stebbing from the United Kingdom by Lü Shuxiang. The book was written in response to the lack of logic and even opposition to logic in British society in the 1930s. However, the author did not write it as a textbook on logic but instead, from a broader perspective of effective thinking, pointed out the various internal and external obstacles and distractions people often encounter during thinking. The author also emphasized that without addressing these obstacles and distractions, people could not engage in effective thinking, which would hinder them from making correct actions. The book's arguments are closely tied to the typical examples of social life and daily thinking at the time, with insightful analysis and readability. I believe that although the book was written by the author over half a century ago for British society, China also greatly needs this book today. I also proposed that Chinese scholars should write a book similar to "Effective Thinking" based on the realities of contemporary China, which would undoubtedly help Chinese people engage in effective thinking. The publication of the "Logic in Time and Space" series is also an extension of the idea I had 15 years ago. The basic positioning of the "Logic in Time and Space" series is popular reading material and teaching reference books. The main content of the series explores and explains logical issues in various fields of social life. The specific writing approach highlights the most common logical problems in a particular field of social life, using typical cases for explanation and introducing relevant logical knowledge. The introduction of logical knowledge does not aim for completeness but focuses on key points, meaning that in a specific field, we highlight the prominent logical issues. To facilitate readers' understanding, relevant prerequisite knowledge is introduced when necessary. The "Logic in Time and Space" series also selects several influential logic popularization books published in the past 20 years in China. These books have all been revised by their authors. The "Logic in Time and Space" series includes 13 books: 1. "The Social Function of Logic," author Zhang Jianjun, Deputy Director of the Department of Philosophy, Nanjing University, Professor, Doctoral Supervisor, Vice President of the China Society of Logic. 2. "Clicking Thinking," author Zhang Xiuting, Professor at Qinhuangdao Radio and Television University. 3. "The Admonition of Logic," author Wang Hong, Director of the Institute of Logic, China University of Political Science and Law, Professor. 4. "Dialogue Between Economy and Logic," author Fu Dianying, Professor at Capital University of Economics and Business. 5. "Logic in the Campus," author Wei Shilin, Professor at Yunnan Normal University. 6. "Game Thinking," author Pan Tianqun, Professor and Doctoral Supervisor at the Department of Philosophy, Nanjing University. 7. "The Logic of," author Li Yanhua, Director of the Logic Teaching and Research Office, China Women's University, Professor, Professor at the China Correspondence University of Logic and Language. 8. "Public Speaking, Debate, and Logic," author Tan Darong, Director of the Yearbook Editing Office, Chongqing Association of Social Sciences, Associate Professor. 9. "Logic in Ancient Poems and Lyrics," author Peng Yilian, Professor at the Department of Philosophy, East China Normal University, former Vice President of the China Society of Logic. 10. "Logic Thinking Training," authors Yangang and Chen Wei, Logic Teaching and Research Office, Department of Philosophy, Fudan University. 11. "New Edition of Logic and Wisdom," author Zheng Weihong, Researcher at the Institute of Ancient Books, Fudan University. 12. "Interesting Logic," authors Peng Yilian, Professor at the Department of Philosophy, East China Normal University, former Vice President of the China Society of Logic; Yu Shihu, Professor at the Media College of City University of Zhejiang University, Vice President of the Zhejiang Society of Logic, etc. 13. "Jokes, Humor, and Logic," author Tan Darong, Director of the Yearbook Editing Office, Chongqing Association of Social Sciences, Associate Professor.
(III) The "Logic in Time and Space" series will soon be available to readers. At this moment, I sincerely thank the series planner Yang Shulan. Ms. Shulan is an experienced editor and planner at Peking University Press with extensive publishing experience. She has also taught logic at universities for many years, deeply understanding the functions and roles of logic. On September 30, 2003, when I discussed the disordered logic in social life and people's desire to learn logical knowledge over the phone with Ms. Shulan, she shared the same sentiments as me. Twenty days later, we developed the idea of compiling the "Logic in Time and Space" series. As the planner, she proposed the basic concept and writing requirements for the series and helped me identify several authors, maintaining regular communication with them. I would not exaggerate to say that without Ms. Shulan's high sense of social responsibility and foresight, the "Logic in Time and Space" series would not have been published so smoothly. I sincerely thank all the authors of the series. They are all influential scholars in China's logic field with heavy teaching and research tasks. However, they were willing to contribute to the "Logic in Time and Space" series and completed their writing as planned. I dare say that all the authors have put in their efforts. Several books in the series are revised and reprinted works. The original copyright holders agreed to include them in this series for publication, and I am grateful to them. I hope readers will enjoy the "Logic in Time and Space" series and look forward to its role in popularizing logical knowledge across society. I would like to clarify that the writing approach of the "Logic in Time and Space" series is still a trial for me. Whether this trial is successful depends on the judgment of the readers. I sincerely request that readers share their feelings and suggestions about reading the "Logic in Time and Space" series with us.
President of the China Correspondence University of Logic and Language, Liu Peiyu
March 2005