Do you think logically?

i was busted by a shrink one time because of logic, he said i was to coldly logical about things( like a vulcan) so i tried to be more emotional, i don"t like it, i don"t like to "fly" by emotion it feels chaotic, it feels like i have lost control of my "boat" somehow.

I believe I logically filter about 90% of the things that happen day to day, but some things just require that emotion to do the right thing for others too! Buddhism is a very interesting way of life, everything in balance, I would say the beliefs are very close to mine, I believe after I studied it I became more realistic about religious differences, and more sympethetic towards others! I am not Buddhist, really there are no tags for my beliefs, I have logically atoned myself with my own beliefs which span almost all religions. Thanks for sharing this and also thank those at Penguin Compass!

James - I know how you feel because at one time or another I too have experienced that emotion or non emotion. Most of the time because of my illness, my judgements are blurred and do not think as clearly or as rationally as I should. Be it lack of self control or just a sign of the type of person I am, but like it or not I am not logical all the time.

Thanks for your comments!

as always Esther, i remain

Randee - Would you believe that I am a Catholic who believes in the teachings of The Buddha?? I have always thought of Buddhism as more of a way of life a philosophy not as a religion per se. Everyone has their own way of surviving in this ever changing and chaotic world. My survival are the teachings of The Buddha; especially when I feel my world spinning out of control.

Thanks for your comments!

"An idea is nothing but a mere abstraction of a concrete undertaking."

My Quotes

It's true though, sometimes I let my emotions cloud my logical side and then I may act out prematurely or impulsively. But overall, I'm quite a logical person. Hey, I'm a Virgo!

Esther - There are many times that I allow myself to be "nuts". Just human nature.

But I do have many friends who accuse me of being too logical and analytical, which in essence puts me into the "bewildered" zone of "how can't they see it" "how can they do it" mindset.


I'm now going back to bed for a couple of hours because I think I'm spoutint gibberish.

Somewhere along the line our ancestors developed the ability to think logically. This skill enhanced our ability to plan hunts, to save food for lean times and to achieve greater social cohesiveness.

Yet, the human brain is primarily associative, not logical. Associative thinking can lead to erroneous results. If one member of a different racial group commits a crime then we label all members of that group as criminals. However, there are times when associative thinking is necessary. It can be a great time and life saver. Shoud we trust a stranger?

One day I was making a delivery to a home and opened the front door. A large dog leaped straight at me. Seconds later I found myself ten feet away on the sidewalk. Without any intervening conscious thought, let alone logic, an ancient human association went into action -- fanged and clawed beast attacking, adrenaline pump, flee! This associative and largely unconscious process probably saved the lives of our primate ancestors, who swung up trees in the African bush to escape marauding leopards. Fortunately for me,an inside screen door blocked the dogs leap. Obviously, the dog was acting upon its own instincts and protecting its territory.

Even when crossing a busy street we may have to make split second decisions about whether an approaching car can be avoided or not. Logic is not much help then.

We probably think associatively much more than we are aware of and logically much less than we think. The philospher Kant observed that we cannot get through life without the use of a priori concepts (i.e internal assumptions), some of which are common to all humanity, but others of which are specific to a given society. Ridding ourselves of those a priori concepts which are occasionally useful, but fundamentally illogical, may be the key to a Zen like understanding of the world. But,I personally know how difficult that can be!

Jack I lean more to what you've said than most. I am often analytical and logical though I am quite emotional at times.

Every time I have a job evaluation, they always say my strength is being a good "problem solver." I catch myself in that role around here sometimes. So, I guess maybe I am a logical thinker...

I can be very emotional most of the time, but I find when I sit down and think logically I can calm myself down. I tend to be calm under pressure and then fall apart when the pressure is over.

I'm great in an emergency and like Bundy, fall apart afterwards! Most of the time I can do pretty good problem solving, by thinking things out. Sometimes I believe I analyse too much. I am an emotional person, so I can't figure out how to categorise myself! LOL

I am very logical. Strange for a woman, right? jk! No, my husband will make plans or have an idea and will explain to him logically why it can't work. lol! He is forever saying, "Darn you and your logic!"

As artistically inclined as I am, I do think logically, but I am very emotional, I'm damn weird as best as I can put it!!

I'm not sure how logical my thinking is regarding my own life. However, I do think logically at work and understand behavior.

I tend to be analytical and logical when it comes to solving other people's problems. Or unemotional problems for myself. But add in emotion, and I can see things very differently. I think emotion brings un needed stress factors into play.....t

Opening to intuition means that we are able to add the emotional material to the mix of rational/analytical thinking. While logic can be helpful, if it leaves out some of the variables--such as emotional issues--then it will give an unproductive answer.

It can feel chaotic to stay open to ambiguity, to the variations. That is why brainstorming works--it gets past the surface level that pure logic does not touch. Also, if the premises on which the logic is based are not sound, the whole thing falls apart, regardless of the structure of the argument.

I have always been proud of my logical skills. I am pre-law and love the logic invovled. But I recently got a taste of cold logic from my husband. I think men are way more logical than women. I am forty four and argued my entire life that women are just as logical but now after dealing with Hubby Bear I realize I have been slightly off the logic meter. We are currently debating an issue where he approached from logic and I approached from my heart. Today, LOGIC SUCKS!

Logical thinking is generally sounder and more reliable. However there are defintely times when intuition and gut are required. Situations arise constantly that don't afford the luxury of careful and deliberate consideration and rumination. Remarkably studies have shown that much more often than not a persons first impression or feeling, which sometimes is so fleeting that it barely registers until after the fact, is correct. How many times have you done something and then after the fact said to yourself I KNEW that was wrong? That is usually the result of anlysis or logic overriding intuition. Most times when they conflict it is a situation that requires a very quick response or decision that does not leave enough time for a proper analysis. There is book about this very subject called "Blink" the name of the author escapes me at the moment. It is a very interesting read.

I agree with Chris. I tend to solve problems with logic and intuition. I am extremely intuitive, which can be a pain. For those of you out there who have this, you understand my plight! Emotions...I try to look at the big picture if I can. I tell my children to have plan a, b, and c waiting for them in a situation. Good in emergencies, fall apart three days after sometimes.

Sometimes, but not as much as my husband. he is QUITE logical in most instances, which occasionally causes some discord when I'm just wanting to gripe about something.

Good one Esther.

This is a great article ES - I am SO GLAD that you listed the author at the end - i was getting worried that the fun-loving Esther that I have grown to love was on the NERD side! Whew!

I have always been the logical one in any group I have been a part of. I have always been very good at math and in school my math skills led me to engineering classes. I grad'd as an engineer and made good money all my life but did NOT enjoy my career in engineering as much as I did when I got to management levels and had to use my people skills. I love people much more than numbers - even though my love of numbers is probably why I'm such a baseball fanatic!

Apryl is RIGHT (as usual, Apryl) men are much more logical than women. Why do you think relationships are so tough to keep going? The sensitive side of men needs to show through in order for all of us to "just get along" (in the words of that philosopher that got himself beaten up on the streets of LA).

Esther, this is a great and thought-provoking post. I think logically, but I like to believe that sometimes it's "logical" to let intuition have its way. Maybe I'm just a midbrain, moreso than a left or right. Perhaps that's you, too, Esther, with your ability to glean from both Catholicism and the wisdom of Buddha. Let's hear it for wonderful diversity. :)

Logic has its advantages and disadvantages. Some of the greatest mathematicians' biggest discoveries were the result of intuition. They thought of something that wasn't obvious and thought "This has to be true." Then they had to prove it formally.

Logician/mathemetician Kurt Godel made the most beautiful and terrifying discovery of the 20th century about mathematics and formal logic. He proved, and this is one of several ways of describing it, that in any logical system it's possible to come up with a question that can be phrased in the language of the system that can't be proved or disproved.

I tend to think logically except when I don't. :)

mostly logical

Usually, but I've been known to think emotionally as well!

Ricky - Nice thought!

Thanks for your comment.

Sharon - I wish I was more logical which I'm not ever it seems. I tend to go with raw emotions and sometimes this tends to cloud your thoughts and as a consequence tends to get me in trouble.

You can talk all you like Sharon because I appreciate reading your comments and always come across as quite sane to me...lol!!

Jack - I agree with your thought on logic and associative thinking. I would say that it is an innate sense of survival that we have learned through time...

Thanks for your comments!

Spencer - Thanks for your words of wisdom!

Thanks for your comments!

Sue - You're lucky you have the sense of mind to think with your mind and not your heart like I do. I get too emotional sometimes and wish I wouldn't.

Thanks for your comments!

Bundy - You've hit the nail on the head for me!!

Thanks for commenting!

Linda - Thanks for your comments - That means Bundy, you and I feel the same way!! lol!

Lacey - I sure wish I was more like you!!

Thanks for commenting!

Joe - You never seem weird to me!!

Love your comments...thanks!

Ron - You and I both know how good you are at understanding one's behaviour...

Thanks as always for your comments!

Terry - You're right stress does come into play with emotion more so than with logic, at least that is the way it is for me.

Thanks for stopping by with your comments!

Guilty1 - There's not a thing wrong with thinking about sex, sex, sex. It sure beats my emotional thoughts of pain and suffering and strife in the world!

Thanks for commenting!

Charlotte - I agree with the fact that intuition plays a big part in our decision making and logic, of course the emotional aspect does tend to cloud things. Yes brainstorming works but who has the time to do so in most instances?

Thanks for your comments!

Karen - You and I are alot alike!

Thanks for commenting!

Apryl - Men usually do tend to act out of logic and sensability as opposed to most women who think with their hearts as I do so often.

Thanks so much for your comments and tell Hubby Bear to let you win sometimes...

Sandy - Thanks for stopping by! The cat looks like 2 of my cats so I loved it!!

Chris - You will see that in my comments I have expressed the very thing that you describe albeit not as eloquently as yourself. Thanks for the heads up on the book "Blink" and will look for it at my bookstore.

Thanks for the sane words of wisdom!

Sharon - I too am extremely intuitive almost to the point of being psychic...emotions tend to get in the way sometimes so the logic remains to be seen.

Thanks for your comments!

Rachel - I know what you mean!!

Thanks for stopping by!

Lori - Thanks for stopping by!!

Tom - Love ya too! But as fate would have it, you CAN be a nerd and be funloving as well! I usually fly by the seat of my pants or panties and tend to get too emotional. You as an engineer are a rare breed being into people as you do. The engineers that I have always met were just logical numbers people who did not know how to interact with people. The numbers love that you have is definately a sign of logic. I hate numbers except when calculating the cost of chairs and the like and counting out my profit margins!!

Thanks for commenting as always!

Vishenda - Wise words, I wish I chose my battles better than I do but I'm just not very logical.

Thanks for your comment.

Denny - You are a wise woman indeed. I've always respected you because all of the comments that I read from you always seem so clear and precise. A quality to be admired. Good luck to you on your new life and you can always go back home to see your family but career opportunities that are sound rarely come up.

Thanks for your comments!

Sydney - Thanks for your kind words! Maybe I am midbrain too; hmmm....hadn't thought of that. I like the comment you made about being logical but letting intuition take over - sounds like a plan to me!

Thanks for your comments!

Nippy - What?? I'm with you, I too tend to think logically except when I don't also!! lol!

You're such a trip!!

Thanks for your comments!!

Donna - Thanks for your comment!

Kelly - Thanks for your comment!

awesome!

thanks for posting on my site!

I love logic. I took a logic and reasoning class in college and loved it.

going thru your stuff to replay your kindness, even if i've seen it before!!

<3 Krystal