The Universality of Logic

Abstract

There is a view that the laws (assertions) of logic are not universal, i.e., that there are cases where one and the same law of logic leads to valid results in one domain of science and to erroneous results in another; as if the laws of logic could admit of exceptions, depending on the object-range. Definite facts are cited in support of this opinion. Already in Hegel’s time there was a tradition which rejected the law of contradiction in reference to transitional states of objects. To this are added today views which limit the law of excluded middle and of double negation (in intuitionist and constructivist logic) and also the laws of commutativity and distribution (in “quantum logic”).