Rational Thoughts on the Powers of Human Understanding (German Logic)

rules are universal, and do not only apply in
mathematics, but everywhere
where one strives for a thorough
knowledge Erkäntniß; the certain and grounded understanding of a subject. Because I show in the chap-
ter on inferences Schlüssen; logical deductions or syllogisms where a conclusion follows from premises that one must make use
of formal inferences in the process of discovery Erfinden; the methodical search for new truths or solutions
if one wishes to think orderly
and proceed without missteps; so I
have deemed it not unhelpful that it
should come immediately after the chapter on propositions Sätzen; logical statements or sentences that affirm or deny something,
before the two chapters in which
it is shown how propositions are drawn partly
from experience, partly from defi-
nitions and other previously known pro-
positions. In such a way, what
is used in the subsequent chap-
ters precedes them. The first chap-
ter [on concepts] and the one on inferences are the two
most important. For where one loves thorough
knowledge, it mainly depends
on clear concepts and order-
ly proofs Beweise; rigorous demonstrations that establish the truth of a statement through logical steps. I know well that
there are people who reject both. They
despise what they cannot emu-
late. And they do well to do so:
as they seek nothing further than a repu-
tation among the ignorant, which is more
profitable to them Wolff is likely critiquing "popular philosophers" or rhetoricians who preferred persuasive speech over the difficult, rigorous work of formal logic