Jurado, Ralph E.

Legal Technique and Logic; EH 301 Page 1 of 2

The Role of Logic in Judicial Decisions

The modern society has presented us many ways to engage more on healthy
discussions, and sometimes could be a heated argument. As the Philippine government
opened is new chapter with a new administration, which evidently presented
unorthodox ways of administering the nation, it made the whole nation more engaged
into public discourse and “cyber-mediated” arguments. It is a common scene in the
cyberworld, that when an argument is presented there are some phrases commonly
being said like “There’s no logic on your reasoning”, “the logic of the situation is” and “You
might want to revisit your logic”. With these things stated, what then is logic?

Logic as defined by aristotle is a new and necessary, reasoning. “New” because it

allows us to learn what we do not know and “ necessary” because its questions are
inescapable. It distiguishes good reasoning from bad reasoning.1 Usually logic has been
heard to be mostly used in a discourse or when presenting arguments, however, it has
always been our common tool in dealing with life. With logic we deduce and make
inferences and mostly make a good ratiocination of why things happen the way it does,
though sometimes it is otherwise. It is of great importance in our everyday living since
it has been our end goal to know what is true and Good arguments backed up by logic
can tell us why it is likely true, sometimes we just don’t believe when we don’t see it
however when we understand a good argumentation would help us know what we
should believe, lastly, our beliefs can motivate us to behave in certain ways and many
people want to manipulate us to believe in certain things and understanding a good
argumentation can help us identify faulty ratiocination which are used to manipulate
us.2 In this modern day era, wherein a lot of contradicting stories emerge, and lots of
them involves legal issues, the higher court has been responsible for settling this
disputes and reconciling several inconsistent ideas or arguments. It weighs the logic
behind each ones argumentation before rendering its very own judicial decision which
in turn form part of the law of the land. What then is a judicial decision?

Judiciary has been the guardinas of the constitution which is known to be the
fundamental law of the land. In this branch we seek justice, justice which sometimes the
provide when they promulgate the judicial decisions. These judicial decision however
are sometimes subject to criticisms as to how it was formulated and how did they came
up with these things. For at the end of the day morally right or wrong it will still be
final and executory. Then in times of doubt logic is much useful, to disect the
arguments presented or laid down on those judicial decisions so that we could either
identify what we should or must believe. In a way before coming up with those judicial
decisions logic is still used by our magistrates as they are sometimes faced with rules of
law which are seemingly inconsistent when in reality the principle underlying one does
not encompase the other.3

1
Philosophybasics.com
2
ethicaltruism.wordpress.com
3
Railway Express Agency v. New York 336 U.S. 106, 110
 Jurado, Ralph E.
Legal Technique and Logic; EH 301 Page 2 of 2

As what has been previously stated logic is all about formulation of good
reasoning or argumentation through inferences and as well as deductive reasonings.
And judicial decisions are those promulgated by the courts of law to end a certain
dispute or to reconcile inconsitencies in the law. This is done through a logical process
in a way, logic has its great value when making a judicial decision since it has been a
way of simplifying things. Since when rule of law states several inconsistencies the
common resort is to determine the simplistic conviction of the law. Wherein they are
then forced to argue not the legal reasoning is too logical, but it is not logical enough to
qualify as a legal reasoning.4

Another thing that would then clearly affect the court officials in formulating
such judicial decision is the high value given in everyone’s morality principle. There
could be times when decidin a case morality may be the pivotal element to sway judges.
Thus, logic provides that what might be morally correct is not necessarily legally right
and logically correct. However it has also beens aid that logic should not be equated to
legal reasoning since as what H.L.A Hart laid down, what logically maybe required is
not ipso facto legally demandable. In connection with the argument presented by Hart
it is important to take note of what has been the definition of logic. It is simplistically
the distinguishment of good reasoning and as well as formulation of argumentation
through inferences and deductive reasoning. In coming up with judicial decisions the
Courts of Law and Justice is face with am abstract paper and logic helps them paint
those judicial decisions to come up with the most relevant and legal way of expressing
it.

Thus, in view of all these things presented it is logic that plays the integral part in
judicial decisions for it doesn’t just help jduges in easily reconciling or solving several
issues, it also helps those who read the said decision to further understand the
masterpiece being presented.

4 Logic in Judicial Reasoning