Conceptual or Logical Choice?

When is choosing a concept actually a logical choice? To elucidate this question, consider the difference between sympathy and empathy in a scenario where you need to select the appropriate term but aren't initially sure which fits best. Understanding the definitions and distinctions between these two concepts might help you decide which word you need. In such cases, you might argue that the choice is purely conceptual, driven entirely by definitions and meanings.

However, is a purely conceptual decision ever truly possible? Concepts don't exist in isolation; they interact with other concepts much like updating your beliefs about the world when you receive new information. Such updates rarely occur in isolation since our beliefs are interconnected logically. While we may be guided by a choice of concepts rooted in conceptual understanding, logic plays a crucial role in determining the ripple effects within the conceptual network.

I propose that there exists a deeper conceptualization that is fundamentally a logical choice. At its core, logic functions by setting boundaries on how concepts behave. For example, can a concept and its opposite overlap? Employing strict logical standards of consistency, logic acts as a guardian to prevent contradictions, such as ensuring that "male" cannot be "female," "red" is not "green," or "true" is not "false."

This logical insistence on avoiding contradiction dictates our approaches to managing these issues, sometimes leading to the creation of theoretical monsters, which I call "mailboxes" in Logic in the Wild—you’ll have to read it to find out why!y. Unless there is a shift in logical standards, one cannot freely begin to work with concepts that might overlap with their opposites. What might initially appear as a conceptual choice to employ a "different" notion of truth under a contradiction-tolerant logic is, in reality, not a conceptual choice but a logical one. The definitions and meanings of the concept, and the applications of those concepts, remain constant, but the underlying logic must adapt to accommodate them. This interplay highlights the profound influence of logical structures on our conceptual engagements, inviting us to reconsider how deeply intertwined logic and conceptualization truly are in shaping our understanding and communication.