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The Laws of Thought

A Thematic Compilation by Avi Sion

Addendum

About infinite regression and circularity.

Infinite regression and circularity (petitio principii, begging the question) are critique techniques often used in logic and philosophy. This means they are fundamental.

Why, then, are they not counted as ‘laws of thought’? Probably simply because they are not always conclusive, although they do have some impact. Infinity is not per se impossible; one can, for instance, claim that the universe is eternal without being inconsistent. Similarly, circular argument is not per se logically wrong: every proposition implies itself; the problem with circularity is that it is insufficient for proof: more than that is needed to convince us.

Thus, criticisms of infinite regression or of circularity do not have the same finality as, say, breaches of the law of noncontradiction or the law of the excluded middle. They recommend us to look for more reasons, but they do not imply that what we have put forward is logically unacceptable.

 

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