Using Lonergan and Logic to Avoid the Hermeneutic Circle

Philosopher, Hans Georg Gadamer has pointed out that a person can only know reality through the use of sense experience, mediated by meaning. Thus, what we know is both limited, and made possible through the cognitive use of meaning categories. Gadamer points out, however, that if it were not for certain, "forestructures of knowing," that we would be caught in a type of "analytic spin" (Spann), were we can not really know anything objectively because there is no objective way of grounding our meaning categories, other than other meaning categories, which of course would involve an invalid, logically circular way of knowing.
I have found two diferrent ways of using "forestructures of knowing" which provide a way out of the analytic spin of the hermeneutic circle of logic circularity. First, you can use sense experience and concrete logic to ground logic itself, and then use logic as a way of critiquing meaning categories. Thus, any meaning framework that is used must not involve a logical contradiction. Additionally, a modified form of the Lonerganian Cogntional Structure can be used as well. Thus, the following cognitive approach can be used: Experience, Analytical Logic Understanding, and then Analogical Logic Understanding or Reflection. Ordinarily, a person might find that analytic logic at Level 2 of Understanding might involve some logical circularity or analytic spin. However, since a person can take the ideas of analytic logic and then use them with analogical logic (intuition), analytic spin is avoided, and a form of authentic subjectivity or objectivity is achieved. With analytic logic, one might assert that A is not B, or that the Apple is not a Banana, however, with analogical logic, one might assert that A is not like B, or that an Apple is not like a Banana. However, one migh also say that an Apple is like a Banana, since they are both pieces or fruit. In any event, the foregoing meets the requirements of Logical Positivism, since analytic logic and analogical logic, while different, are analogous, and are equally valid.

(C)Copyright 2011 by Anthony J. Fejfar

The Scientific Explanation for Intuition as a Cognitve Faculty

The operation and existence of the Cognitive Faculty of Intuition can be explained scientifically. Ordinary, left hemisphere thinking is logical and sequential. Thus, the left hemisphere uses the Causal Syllogism, "If A, then B, A, therefore B." Information is analyzed logically and is stored hierarchically. On the other hand, ordinary right hemisphere thinking is analogical. For example, one analogy that is used is "1 is to 2, as, 2 is to 4." Another analogy is "apple is to oranage, as, banana is to grapefruit." Now, you can see that there is a certain logic to analogical reasoning and analogical thought processes. You see, while straight logic uses the notion, A is B, or, A is not B, analogical logic uses the notion A is like B, or, A is not like B. This type of analogical reasoning is used on a regular basis by lawyers, law professors, and judges, who use analogical thinking when using the "case method" of legal analysis. Thus, lawyers will say, since Case B is analogous to Case A, the legal rule in case A should be applied in Case B. Now, intution is an advanced form of analogical thinking. Intuition involves high speed, preconscious or unconscious, analogical thought processes. In other words, the preconscious or unconscious mind plays with analogies all the time. Thus, you could say that the analogical mind plays and dances. Moreover, when the speed of analogical thougth processes reach a certain level, the right hemisphere, analogical mind goes "Quantum," and begins to function using Quanta, subatomic particles to think, analogically, where such Quanta subatomic particles are really Energized Probability Fields. At this point, the Quantum Mind developes and the person's Intuition goes non-local at a distance, as confirmed by Bell's non-locality theorom. Thus, the intutive mind begins to gather information which is outside of the human body, with quantum processes which operate non-locally at a distance. The Quantum Intuitive Mind is then quite capable of gathering information forward or backwards in time, and, also can gather information from a physical place 1,000 miles away, or even a trillion miles away, non-locally at a distance. At this point, it is even possible that the Quantum Intuitive Mind could communicate with other minds. This is known as telepathy.
Finally, there is a great deal of scientific research which has been done to prove the existence and validity of intuition. My article, here, sets forth the scientific hypothesis as to how and why intuition exists and operates, and the Doctoral dissertation of Tony Bastick, entitled, "Intuition," confirms my hypothesis as scientifically proven. Thus, it is not logical to say that intution is "magic" or nonexistent. Intuition is a scientifically proven Cognitive Faculty that many human beings have. In fact, there are numerous psychological tests which test for intuition as a cognitive facult in a given person, such as the Myers Briggs temperament test, which is based upon the psychological theory of Carl Jung. See, Carl Jung, Psychological Types.
(C) Copyright 2010 by Anthony J. Fejfar