Great Minds Think Alike
Have you heard the saying, "Great minds think alike"?
"Great minds think alike" does not mean, "Great minds think the same things".
It means; Great minds think in the same way. Great minds use the same method.
The method that great minds use is LOGIC.
Logic is what Aristotle called the Common Sense.
Logic is the method of common sense. Your common sense is your Reasoning mind. And a wise person always acts "according to the principles of reason", which means, according to the principles of common sense and logic.
The alternative to thinking logically and rationally, is to think illogically and irrationally.
But if someone speaks illogically or acts irrationally, they won't get good results.
If a person speaks rationally and acts logically, then they will tend to get brilliant results.
If you want to get brilliant results, then learn the laws of logic; and always, act according to the principles of reason.
What are the laws of logic?
There are many laws of logic. Three of the most important are these:
1. The law of identity.
The law of identity is: A is A. Which means: FACTS are FACTS.
"Facts are facts, whether you know them, or not: Like them or not: Agree with them or not."
This means that if one does not know a fact, it does not disappear. Ignorance is NOT bliss.
Not liking a fact, does not make it go away. Putting your head in the sand does not work well.
One needs to face the facts, without allowing one's feelings or opinions to distort, or colour the situation.
Logical people do not allow their own likes, dislikes, or prejudices, to alter their perception of the facts.
We call this a "Fact first" philosophy. It is contrasted to a "Feelings first" philosophy.
A good scientist, a good detective, or a good problems solver, is most concerned with The Facts, and less concerned with feelings or opinions.
2. The law of non-contradiction.
The law of non-contradiction says that one should NOT utter contradictory statements. You can't say IT IS, and then later say, IT IS NOT.
A logical person would never say, "Well, err..... I think, both yes and no".
Nor would logical person say one thing and then do the opposite.
A logical person would never say, "Do as I say, not as I do".
If a logical person says she will be there at 10am, then she will be there at 10am, not at 10.20am.
A person who is logical does not contradict herself. Her statements are wholly self-consistent and coherent. A logical person's messages are always fact based, coherent; self-consistent.
They are not over-emotional, nor over-opinionated, nor muddled.
3. The law of causality.
The law of causality means that everything happens for a reason. Which means every event has definite causes. And that the causes for any event are knowable.
The opposite (illogical) view is that things happen for no definite reason: That everything that happens is a chance event: That certainty is impossible and that nobody can really know anything.
The logical mind has confidence in its ability to gain knowledge and certainty.
The Illogical mind is sceptical and remains uncertain. They call it the "uncertainty principle". Illogical minds are only certain, that they can be certain of nothing. (Which is a self-contradictory, incoherent and nonsensical statement.)
Illogical minds believe that certainty is impossible, and that knowledge is to be gained, not by reference to facts, but by reference to the majority opinion, or to probabilities, or revelations, or inspired guesses. (Intuition).
Implications of the laws of logic: Common sense.
Life will work better for you if you use your common-sense-logic: Think logically and act rationally.
That means:
- Face the facts. Don't hide from them or distort them to fit your prejudices. (Pre-judgements).
- Communicate only coherent messages. A coherent message does not contradict itself. It is self-consistent and fact based.
- Act in accordance with your own statements. If you say you will do something, then do it.
- Don't say one thing and then do another.
- Challenge people who "say one thing, but do another".
- Assume that everything that happens has definite causes. Nothing happens for no reason.
- Don't hope that something nice will happen by magic.
- Don't initiate a cause (bad habits) and then be surprised when the effects show up. (Bad results).
- Recognise that good results can only be obtained by using good habits.
- Don't use the "majority opinion" as your guide to intelligent action.
- Don't use "inspired guesses" as your guide to intelligent action.
- Don't use your "gut feeling" as your guide to intelligent action.
- For a guide to intelligent action, use a logical evaluation of all the available evidence.
That is how great minds think alike.
Logic
Logic, in personal development, is a thinking method that starts with fixed facts, avoids self-conflict, links each effect to a clear cause, and lets reason-rather than feelings or chance-steer action.
CG4D Definition
Context: Personal development
Genus: Thinking method
- Starts with objective facts and treats them as fixed
- Keeps all thoughts, words and deeds free from self-conflict
- Traces every effect to a clear cause that can be known
- Uses reason, not feelings, opinion or chance, to guide action
Article Summary
Great minds only seem to think alike because they all trust one tool: the laws of logic-identity, non-contradiction and causality. Face facts first, speak in one clear voice and link each cause to its effect, and you swap guesswork for sharp thought that drives sure results.