meaning - 'Therefore' in an illogical logic sense


I have a co-worker that is always saying "Therefore, A B C" when the "A B C" isn't a conclusion from any sort of deductive reasoning. For example,



Me: ... thus, that's how it works.
Her: I think you are wrong about that. Therefore, I know I'm right.



I was wondering if this use of therefore is appropriate. Should therefore only be used (much as in the symbolic logic sense) when what's being concluded is beyond a reasonable doubt?



Answer



No, therefore should not be reserved for conclusions beyond a reasonable doubt. It is merely a transition similar to thus or as such:



Therefore, I ordered pepperoni.


Thus, I ordered pepperoni.


As such, I ordered pepperoni.



The extended conversation could have been:



I like meat on my pizza. Therefore, I ordered pepperoni.



You can test for an appropriate use of therefore by flipping the sentence order and using because:



I ordered pepperoni because I like meat on my pizza.



The contention that the therefore segment should be restricted to perfect logical use is forgetting that the word really only serves to draw a causal link between statements.



I like red. Therefore, I painted my wall red.



There is no logic here. I am just explaining why I painted the wall red.


Now, if someone is using therefore as a logical link and the logic sucks, you can say that the argument is bad. But the use of therefore isn't the problem.



This $10 item is 50% off; therefore I am saving $6.



This is wrong, but the use of therefore isn't incorrect because it is simply communicating the thought. The communication is accurate; that makes therefore the appropriate word. Replacing therefore with a different word changes the meaning of the sentence (and could correct the logic) but the intent of the speaker no longer matches the communication.



Edit: Since there seems to be some confusion about the actual definition of the word, here is what my dictionary says:



for that reason; consequently : he was injured and therefore unable to play.



Reason, in this context does not mean "logic". It just means "why".



Why couldn't he play? / He was injured.


He was injured and therefore unable to play.


He was unable to play because he was injured.



It is worth noting that there is a strict logical use for the term therefore that explicitly means something akin to "logically derived from the previous statements" but that would be applicable to formations of the following:





  1. All men are mortal




  2. Aristotle is a man




  3. Therefore, Aristotle is mortal





This is commonly represented by three dots in a triangle (∴). But even in this case, the use of therefore is a signal of a specific meaning. If the conclusion is false, it was not an incorrect use of therefore but simply faulty logic. Removing or changing the word doesn't make the problem go away.


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