Logical reasoning: An educational goal

Abstract

Discussions of the aims of schooling inevitably include fostering the development of abilities in students as a major goal of education. The language used in discussing this goal varies from person to person and era to era. Whether labelled as reflective thought or critical thinking or problem solving or reasoning, the meaning is a heightened capacity and disposition for rational thought. The phrase reasoning will be used throughout this paper when speaking of this goal. The apparent agreement among educators that logical is an important goal of schooling gives school people less direction than they might desire. There are at least two reasons for this. First, there is considerable confusion and disagreement about the meaning of logical reasoning. What should be included under the rubric of logical reasoning? How is the teacher to know when students have achieved the goal? Second, even if we were in agreement about the meaning of the goal, knowledge about the best strategies to attain that goal would be sketchy. If we are to improve the present state of knowledge, we must recognize that much is to be learned about the development of logical in the young. How are these two problems to be dealt with? The confusion and disagreement about meaning, it can be argued, calls for reasoning or critical thinking on the part of educators. The lack of knowledge about the best means to use to reach the goal requires recognizing this lack and appropriate empirical research to extend our knowledge. Some general comments about these two problems follow.