Aristotle's logic.

The place of logic in Aristotle's thought In Metaph. E.1, Aristotle divides the sciences (=branches of knowledge) into three divisions: Theoretical (mathematics, natural science, theology), Practical (ethics, politics), and Productive (art, rhetoric). They are distinguished by their aims—truth, action, and production, respectively. Where is logic on this list? Aristotle does not seem to include it anywhere. This has been a subject of debate among subsequent interpreters. The question is whether logic is a subject matter to be studied (a science), or merely a method to be used by the various sciences. (This became a topic of dispute between the Stoics and Peripatetics.) The usual answer is that for Aristotle logic is not a subject matter, but a tool to be used by any science. That's why his collection of logical works is called the Organon— Greek for tool. (The title is due to Alexander of Aphrodisias, ca. 200 CE.) These are the works included in the Organon, and their topics: Categories terms De Interpretatione statements Prior Analytics theory of inference Posterior Analytics the axiomatic structure of a science Topics a manual of argumentation De Soph. Elench. a manual on fallacies The invention of logic It's fair to say that Aristotle invented deductive logic. (That's not to say that no one had drawn inferences before Aristotle told them how to do so. Rather, he was the first to codify inferences into a system, and to create rules for distinguishing correct from incorrect inferences.) Aristotle was justifiably proud of his creation. He even gives himself a pat on the back (SE, 183b34-184b7, Ackrill translation):