Abstract
A system of logic is a formal theory equipped with laws and elementary syntactic and semantic definitions specifying ways of applying those laws in reasoning and revising assumptions out of which certain conclusions could be drawn from certain premises. Here, I shall discuss the universe of discourse to a variant of three-valued logic called Ezumezu and show that the traditional laws of thought are inadequate hence, I will discuss the three new supplementary laws of thought which were introduced in chapter six. Having already formulated some of its syntactic and semantic rules in the previous chapters, I will show that in logic, Ezumezu system is comparable to systems developed by the likes of Lukasiewicz, Graham Priest, Stephen Read and other alternative logics. I will discuss two important theses namely, ontological and logical theses that will enable us to further understand the three pillars of Ezumezu logic namely, nwa-nsa, nwa-nju and nwa-izugbe already discussed in the preceding chapter. Finally, I will demonstrate the formal structure of Ezumezu logic using its two argument types called arumaristic and ohakaristic to show how conclusions could be drawn from premises.
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- 1.
I designate the system as Ezumezu with upper case E, and the third value from which the system derives its name as ezumezu with a lower case e.
- 2.
Hans Reichenbach in his magnum Opus The philosophic foundations of quantum mechanics. (1944, 22 & pp.139–165) showed the inadequacy of two-valued logic in axiomatising quantum theory and opted instead for three-valued logic as a viable option.
- 3.
It must be clarified that our use of ‘complement’ in Ezumezu logic is not the same as its use in set theory. In set theory Ac or A′ is a complement and is read as ‘all the objects that do not belong to set A.’
- 4.
Further research is required to fully exploit this possibility.
- 5.
Disjunctive motion symbolised with the constant ‘V’ refers to the conversational track that leads to the differentiation of opinions as opposed variables diverge while conjunctive motion symbolised with the constant ‘Λ’ refers to the conversational track that leads to the homogenisation of opinions as opposed variables converge.
- 6.
See Ifeanyi Menkiti (1984) for a rich discussion of afterlife.
- 7.
See John Mbiti (1969).
- 8.
- 9.
Etuk argues for the possibility of a logic that could be called African.
- 10.
Ijiomah envisages a logic called harmonious monism which is a direct reflection of a peculiar African thought system. I have clarified that this sort of thinking is misplaced even though it is original.
- 11.
Senghor may have been misunderstood. His emphasis on emotions can be more accurately read as a claim for relevance in the logical reflections of Africans much more like the claim in the Australian tradition. Not being a professional logician, he could not finely articulate this in line with logical standards but he made a strong point which I believe is vital in developing the African tradition in Logic.
- 12.
This idea is strongly suggested by the much criticised French Anthropologist Lucien Levy-Bruhl , The German Idealist philosopher Georg Hegel and much later Robin Horton .
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Chimakonam, J.O. (2019). Ezumezu as a Formal System. In: Ezumezu. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-11075-8_8
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