The Principle of Sufficient Reason and the Development of Formal Logic

Abstract

Whether or not principle of sufficient reason is a fundamental rule of formal logic is a question that merits serious discussion. In debates from as early as 1960s, when discussing subject and functions of formal logic, some comrades pointed out that formal logic cannot study just forms of thought alone. One of their basic arguments was that the principle of sufficient reason demands that content of a premise must be true. In discussions concerning truth and validity of formal logic, some comrades likewise suggested that validity of thought forms and truth of their content were identical, their reason being that one of demands of principle of sufficient reason is that a reason must be true. These discussions have already touched on question of nature of principle of sufficient reason. Thus, this discussion now under way is a continuation and deepening of past discussions on logic. Not only does it involve content of principle of sufficien...