A Topical Dictionary: Search for logical

GNU Project's publication of CIDE, the Collaborative International Dictionary of English Logical \Log"ic*al\ (l[o^]j"[i^]*kal), a. [Cf. F. logique, L.
logicus, Gr. logiko`s.]
1. Of or pertaining to logic; used in logic; as, logical
subtilties. --Bacon.
[1913 Webster]

2. According to the rules of logic; as, a logical argument or
inference; the reasoning is logical; a logical argument; a
logical impossibility. --Prior.
[1913 Webster]

3. Skilled in logic; versed in the art of thinking and
reasoning; as, he is a logical thinker. --Addison.
[1913 Webster]

WordNet logical
adj 1: capable of or reflecting the capability for correct and
valid reasoning; "a logical mind" [ant: illogical]
2: in accordance with reason or logic; "a logical conclusion"
[syn: legitimate]
3: marked by an orderly, logical, and aesthetically consistent
relation of parts; "a logical argument"; "the orderly
presentation" [syn: consistent, ordered, orderly]
4: based on known statements or events or conditions; "rain was
a logical expectation, given the time of year"
5: capable of thinking and expressing yourself in a clear and
consistent manner; "a lucid thinker"; "she was more
coherent than she had been just after the accident" [syn:
coherent, lucid]

Moby Dictionary
admissible , authoritative , balanced , binding , cogent , coherent ,
commonsense , consistent , cool , coolheaded , credible , deductive ,
good , inductive , inferential , intelligent , judicious , just ,
justifiable , lawful , legal , legitimate , levelheaded , philosophical ,
plausible , practical , pragmatic , proper , rational , reasonable ,
sane , self-consistent , sensible , sober , sober-minded , sound ,
substantial , sufficient , syllogistical , valid , weighty ,
well-argued , well-balanced , well-founded , well-grounded ,
well-reasoned , well-thought-out , wholesome , wise

Jargon logical adj. [from the technical term `logical device', wherein a
physical device is referred to by an arbitrary `logical' name] Having
the role of. If a person (say, Les Earnest at SAIL) who had long held a
certain post left and were replaced, the replacement would for a while
be known as the `logical' Les Earnest. (This does not imply any judgment
on the replacement.) Compare virtual.

At Stanford, `logical' compass directions denote a coordinate system
relative to El Camino Real, in which `logical north' is always toward
San Francisco and `logical south' is always toward San Jose-in spite of
the fact that El Camino Real runs physical north/south near San
Francisco, physical east/west near San Jose, and along a curve
everywhere in between. (The best rule of thumb here is that, by
definition, El Camino Real always runs logical north-south.)

In giving directions, one might say: "To get to Rincon Tarasco
restaurant, get onto El Camino Bignum going logical north." Using the
word `logical' helps to prevent the recipient from worrying about that
the fact that the sun is setting almost directly in front of him. The
concept is reinforced by North American highways which are almost, but
not quite, consistently labeled with logical rather than physical
directions. A similar situation exists at MIT: Route 128 (famous for the
electronics industry that grew up along it) wraps roughly 3 quarters
around Boston at a radius of 10 miles, terminating near the coastline at
each end. It would be most precise to describe the two directions along
this highway as `clockwise' and `counterclockwise', but the road signs
all say "north" and "south", respectively. A hacker might describe these
directions as `logical north' and `logical south', to indicate that they
are conventional directions not corresponding to the usual denotation
for those words.

FOLDOC logical

(From the technical term "logical device", wherein a physical
device is referred to by an arbitrary "logical" name) Having
the role of. If a person (say, Les Earnest at SAIL) who had
long held a certain post left and were replaced, the
replacement would for a while be known as the "logical" Les
Earnest. (This does not imply any judgment on the
replacement).

Compare virtual.

At Stanford, "logical" compass directions denote a coordinate
system in which "logical north" is toward San Francisco,
"logical west" is toward the ocean, etc., even though logical
north varies between physical (true) north near San Francisco
and physical west near San Jose. (The best rule of thumb here
is that, by definition, El Camino Real always runs logical
north-and-south.) In giving directions, one might say: "To
get to Rincon Tarasco restaurant, get onto El Camino Bignum
going logical north." Using the word "logical" helps to
prevent the recipient from worrying about that the fact that
the sun is setting almost directly in front of him. The
concept is reinforced by North American highways which are
almost, but not quite, consistently labelled with logical
rather than physical directions.

A similar situation exists at MIT: Route 128 (famous for the
electronics industry that has grown up along it) is a
3-quarters circle surrounding Boston at a radius of 10 miles,
terminating near the coastline at each end. It would be most
precise to describe the two directions along this highway as
"clockwise" and "counterclockwise", but the road signs all say
"north" and "south", respectively. A hacker might describe
these directions as "logical north" and "logical south", to
indicate that they are conventional directions not
corresponding to the usual denotation for those words. (If
you went logical south along the entire length of route 128,
you would start out going northwest, curve around to the
south, and finish headed due east, passing along one infamous
stretch of pavement that is simultaneously route 128 south and
Interstate 93 north, and is signed as such!)

[Jargon File]

(1995-01-24)