Working Up

by Dwayne Phillips

Accepting something that is false leads us all into all sorts of trouble.

There is a property in logic that states if you accept something that is false, you can prove anything. For example, if you accept that one equals zero, you can prove anything in math (try it). Recently, I stumbled across one way of stating this:

A false proposition implies the universal class.

The universal class includes everything. If you accept something that is false, everything is true. There are many silly examples. Consider:

• Loud music is good for your hearing IMPLIES cigarette smoking is good for your lungs
• Texting while driving is not distracting IMPLIES alcohol improves your reactions

There are not some not so silly examples. Consider:

• The earth is warmer than it ever has been IMPLIES no amount of money is too much to spend to reduce carbon
• All preventive medicine is beneficial IMPLIES no amount of money is too much to spend on health insurance

You see, now we have left the realm of science and have started meddling in our lives. Such is the nature of logic: it quickly leaves science and moves into everyone’s life and politics.