Teaching Logical Positivism in First Grade Catholic School and CCD

By

Anthony J. Fejfar, B.A., J.D., Esq., Coif

© Copyright 2009 by Anthony J. Fejfar

You can teach Logical Positivism as a matter of Personal Consciousnes to kids

in First Grade. First, you teach the kid about Sense Experience, using an Apple. Have

the kid feel the Apple, look at the Apple, try hear the Apple (not), taste the apple. Then

use a Bell, to feel the Bell, look at the Bell, hear the Bell, taste the Bell.

Next, is Concrete Logic. You put an Apple in your left hand. Ask if the Apple is in

the hand. Affirm, yes Apple. Then, remove the Apple and hide it. Ask if the Apple is

in the hand. Affirm, no Apple. Then, ask, “Can you have Apple in the hand and no

Apple in the hand at the same time?” Answer, No.

Next, teach the Conditional Logical Syllogism which teaches conditioned

causality. If A, then B, A, therefore, B. To do this you get a ball and put it in a

position marked A, then you mark another position close by marked B. You then take

the ball and say If ball position A, then Ball position B. You then take the ball and

move it from position A to position B. This is, A (position) therefore B (position).

Finally, you must prove God’s Existence as the First Cause, using Logical

Positivism. Some people think, wrongly, that Logical Positivism excludes discussions

of God. In fact, God cannot be excluded by Logical Positivism. Recall, that Logical

Positivism is defined as “rigorous logical inferences from sense experience.” Now, if we

look at one of Thomas Aquainas’ proofs for God’s Existence it is clear that Logical

Positivism cannot exclude discussion of God. Using Logical Positivist method, we start
with the observation from sense experience that there are all sorts of causes and effects

in the world and universe. For example, if one pushes a pool cue ball at the 8 ball, the

person’s hand causes the cue ball to move, which in turn causes the 8 ball to move as an

effect. Then, using Logical Positivist method we ask the question, What is the cause of

the cue ball? From there we look to the manufacturing process of the cue ball. From

there we look to the raw materials that the cue ball is made from as a cause. From there

we look to the Earth as the source or cause of the materials of the cue ball. From there

we look to the origins of the Planet Earth and the Universe. As we continue, it is clear as

a matter of logical that either there is an infinite series of causes, which seems irrational

from the Logical Positivist point of view of a finite universe, or, alternatively, we must

logically infer that there is a First Cause, which is the Cause of all other causes. Since

there are rational natural laws in the Universe, we can logically infer that Reason is the

First Cause of the Universe. Reason can be logically described as God, since in the

Gospel of John, God is Reason or Logos. Therefore, logically God Exists and can be

discussed using Logical Positivist method.