The Scientology Logics are a favorite of mine, probably because they are so useful in my job and I get to use them every day. You could call them "how to think" or "how to solve problems", things that we all need to be able to do effectively to succeed in life.
So I'm going to examine them one-by-one over the next several days.
Logic 1: Knowledge is a whole group or subdivision of a group of data or speculations or conclusions on data or methods of gaining data.
This is the first of the Logics because it is a basic to all logic. You are dealing with knowledge in thinking and problem solving so you have to know what it is. The fact that knowledge contains "data" and "speculations" is important to know because a fact (data) can lead to a solution whereas an opinion (speculation) usually only leads to more opinions and often to an impasse (argument).
So when you are examining a body of knowledge you should divide it up into data (facts), speculations (opinions) and conclusions (always evaluating how correct or incorrect the conclusion is and how it was evolved). Now you can think with it.
The inclusion of "methods of gaining data" in the definition of knowledge greatly expands the entire concept of knowledge and makes it into a living, breathing entity. So often we think of knowledge as something in dried up old books written down centuries ago by some mysterious savant. There are even philosophies founded on the idea that all worthwhile knowledge is beyond human comprehension. Well, if you have a method of gaining data you no longer have to blindly believe what was written by "authorities", because you can find out for yourself.
To me, a method of gaining data is of more value than the data itself, because if you forget some piece of data you can always find it again, but if you forget the method, you're back to accepting what "authority" tells you.
The simplest, but for many most difficult, method of gaining data is observation. The article "Personal Integrity" by L. Ron Hubbard contains vital data on how to observe.
Second hand observation adds the complexity of the reliability and accuracy of the source. Some of the later Logics provide methods for evaluating such.
The Logics themselves contain methods of gaining data so stay tuned. I'll be back with more tomorrow.
