Logic: Rules and Order of Thinking

When we feel someone is rambling, talking for a long time without expressing a clear point, or simply going along with others’ opinions without forming their own, we often say they “lack logic.” But what exactly is logic? How can we make our thinking more organized?

I remember in 2018, I heard a statement in “Fu Peirong’s Western Philosophy Course” on the Dedao App: “Logic is the rule and order of thinking.” This explanation is simple yet clear, using three words - “thinking,” “rule,” and “order” - to explain the abstract concept of logic clearly. But knowing the definition isn’t enough; I wanted to know: What are these rules? How do we establish order?

Foundations of Logic

Later, I studied logic and learned some basic knowledge, such as concept definitions and argumentation methods. These are the “foundations” of logic, which you can learn from books like “Simple Logic” or “Introduction to Logic.” I’ve also written related articles before: The Foundation of Cognition - Concepts. But logic isn’t just academic; it can be applied in daily life, for example, “The Pyramid Principle” and “The Art of Clear Thinking” are particularly suitable for ordinary people.

The MECE Principle: Mutually Exclusive, Collectively Exhaustive

“The Pyramid Principle” made a deep impression on me, as it introduced the “MECE principle” (Mutually Exclusive and Collectively Exhaustive), which simply means “no overlaps and no gaps.” What does this mean? When facing a big problem, you can break it down into smaller problems that don’t overlap with each other yet completely cover the original problem.

For example, when analyzing household expenses, if you categorize them as “daily expenses/major expenses/food expenses,” there’s a problem because “food expenses” and “daily expenses” overlap—buying eggs could be both a daily expense and a food expense. A correct classification could be:

• Fixed expenses: rent, utilities, etc.
• Living consumption: clothing, food, housing, transportation.
• Development investment: learning, health, financial planning.

Another example: if a work task is delayed and you attribute it to “technical problems/personnel problems/time problems,” there could be gaps in your analysis, as technical problems might be caused by personnel issues. Using MECE, you can break it down into:

1. Internal causes:

   • Personnel capabilities: Does the team have the right skills?
   • Resource allocation: Are tools or servers in place?
   • Process design: Are requirements clear?
   • Tool support: Is the development environment stable?

2. External causes:

   • Requirement changes: Did the client change goals midway?
   • Supplier delays: Did third parties deliver on time?
   • Policy changes: Is there external regulatory impact?
   • Market changes: Is there pressure from competitors?

After such analysis, you can verify each point individually, such as checking requirement communication records or evaluating team training situations. This way of thinking through classification helps turn “feelings” in your mind into “confirmations.”

Syllogism: The Process of Logical Reasoning

Beyond breaking down problems, logic also helps us derive conclusions, which is where “syllogism” comes in. A syllogism consists of two premises and one conclusion:

• Major premise: A universal principle.
• Minor premise: A specific situation.
• Conclusion: The derived result.

For example:

• Major premise: All programmers need to write code.
• Minor premise: Xiao Ming is a programmer.
• Conclusion: Xiao Ming needs to write code.

In life, syllogisms can help us verify judgments. For instance, if someone says, “The project is delayed because the team lacks competence,” we can analyze using syllogism:

• Major premise: Are all delays caused by lack of competence? (Not necessarily; it could be due to requirement changes.)
• Minor premise: What’s the situation with this project? (Needs specific investigation.)
• Conclusion: Attributing directly to lack of competence may be inaccurate.

Syllogisms teach us to question assumptions, check premises, and avoid hasty conclusions.

Practice Diligently

Whether it’s the MECE principle, syllogism, or other thinking rules, we shouldn’t just stay at the level of “knowing” but should practice diligently. Whenever you encounter something, you can analyze it using the MECE principle. Initially, your breakdowns might not be accurate, but that’s okay—with regular application, the breakdowns will become increasingly precise. Try spending 5 minutes each day using MECE to analyze a problem, such as “Why was my efficiency low today?” Or, when you have an opinion, use syllogism to ask yourself: What are the premises? Does the conclusion hold up?

Logic is not just a rule of thinking but also a means to enhance your abilities. The next time you face a problem, try to reconsider it from a logical perspective, organize your thoughts with rules, and find order amidst chaos!

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