For example, there is a population of squirrels living in my backyard. When I throw a rock at the squirrel and hit it, it runs away from me and never comes near me again. The squirrel is not thinking, it is merely using logic. That is, the squirrel is not critically analyzing the situation; it is merely associating my presence with the pain I inflicted. The squirrel acts based on its past experience and uses logic to deduce that every time I come outside, a rock will be thrown at it. But the squirrel does not critically analyze the situation to try to understand that my throwing of the rock is not always the case. When I came outside with a plate full of squirrel feed, it still runs away because it is using its logic and not thinking or critically analyzing the situation. If it were thinking, it would realize that I am trying to feed it and not throw a rock at it, despite what the squirrel’s past experience dictates.
Another example of not thinking and merely using logic is when I took the ACT test on September 10. While working on the test, I lost track of time and I had to finish the remaining five math problems in less than three minutes. Instead of critically analyzing each individual item, I used my logic and guessed that the answer was “C” for all of them. I was using logic in this situation because when I always guess “C” on a test I usually get it right. So I associated the event of my guessing with the event of getting the question correct, based on my past experience. I was not thinking because I did not critically analyze each problem individually in order to come up with a good evaluation.
However, some may argue that using logic is thinking. When one uses logic, he is subconsciously choosing the best way to critically analyze the situation and the best way is associating the events based on past experiences. One example of this is when my grandfather goes fishing. My grandfather uses a specific type of bait to lure fish. He knows that artificial flies are the best bait in order to catch bass because whenever he uses artificial flies, the bass always bite. But when he uses anything else, the bass never bite. Using logic, or association of events from based on his past experience, the fisherman is subconsciously critically analyzing his options and evaluating the best type of fish bait to use. Therefore, he is thinking.
However, I rebut the following statement because saying that logic is the same as thinking is not an accurate statement. Based on the definition, logic can be a subset of thinking. Thinking requires logic as well as critical analysis in order to form an evaluation. And logic alone is only part of the process. Thinking cannot exist without logic. I agree with Bohr’s statement that “you’re not thinking; you’re merely using logic”.