Formal Logical Domination

A specific type of formal domination where classical logic (law of non‑contradiction, excluded middle, deduction) is treated not as one useful tool among many, but as the universal, obligatory standard for rational thought. Formal logical domination marginalizes alternative logics (dialectical, paraconsistent, intuitionistic) and dismisses reasoning that does not conform as “irrational” or “unscientific.” It establishes a hierarchy where certain logical forms are considered inherently superior, and those who think differently—often from non‑Western or non‑elite backgrounds—are pathologized. This domination is maintained through education, academic gatekeeping, and the unreflective equation of “logical” with “correct.”

Example: “The philosophy department dismissed Buddhist logic as ‘not real logic’ because it allowed contradictions. Formal logical domination: elevating one tradition by erasing others.”

Formal Logical Domination by Abzugal May 22, 2026