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I have a list of ideas on informal logic, which I wish to publish. Could anyone give me a list of journals on informal logic? So far, I was able to find:
http://www.informallogic.ca/

But, I am not sure how influential they are. Wrote them an email and no reply so far.

These are my list of ideas:
1.Establishing a more certain minimum statement using Descartes idea of doubting everything - Descartes’s logic is flawed and has a paradoxical assumption set.
2.A new theory of truth
3.Structure of human thought, and a decision making/pattern recognition theory explaining it, without any assumptions whatsoever.
4.Sarcasm detection in natural language processing
5.A generic process of counting and comparing assumptions( not complete yet)

And I plan on working on two more ideas, but they would need some collaboration, since they are on fields I have less knowledge about.

Informal logic though can only be established under arguments. I am not even sure of the format which I need to put my work in, since it requires arguments and a discussion. I can put a list of all possible arguments, but that would make them very lengthy and verbose.

I know it might sound like I am going over the top, but I have written them all down, and cannot find any place to discuss them or publish them, nor can I discuss them with anyone where I am currently.

I am sorry, but I came across them by accident, but have no idea of the publishing world.

  • These are not topics in informal logic. – ChristopherE Sep 09 '17 at 16:46
  • They can only be established through discussions though. What journal should I publish them in? The logic is not formal as well. I am pretty sure they fall into informal logic. –  Sep 09 '17 at 16:51
  • https://philosophy.stackexchange.com/questions/45724/is-my-argument-against-descartess-i-think-therefore-i-am-logically-sound, @ChristopherE , This is my first one, almost. Can add and subtract plenty of stuff to it I guess. Which category of currently established logic does it fall under? If none what to do? –  Sep 09 '17 at 16:54
  • That's about Descartes's argument. The general area is history of philosophy. The confusion you're having is this: informal logic journals are about logic, not about arguments that use informal logic to reach conclusions about particular things. – ChristopherE Sep 09 '17 at 19:46
  • How is it history of Philosophy? I am not dealing with facts. But I am not sure. You are correct in so far that I am using informal logic to reach conclusions about particular things. Where do I publish such things, and which area of study would it possible fall under. –  Sep 09 '17 at 19:58
  • @ChristopherE , Also as you can see, there are various overlaps as well. I am not sure where to go with all of this. Could it be possible to get some help please? I have most of it in a blog so far, but seemingly it requires some discussion to bridge communication gaps. –  Sep 09 '17 at 20:01
  • Seems like you need to hire a philosophy tutor, like you would if you were learning a musical instrument. This site can help you with general questions, while it sounds like your goal is to develop your own work. – ChristopherE Sep 09 '17 at 21:45
  • I gave you the answer above; the paper replying to Descartes would go to a history of philosophy journal. You can find them instantly. See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:History_of_philosophy_journals . Sorry if I misunderstood, but your comment that you're "not sure where to go with all this. Could it be possible to get some help please? I have most of it in a blog so far," made me think that you wanted help with the work posted on your blog. – ChristopherE Sep 09 '17 at 22:07
  • I apologize as well, that I misunderstood you. Could you please write an answer as well how this relates to history of Philosophy. I always thought that history only dealt with facts. Is it a common misnomer that I do not know of? –  Sep 09 '17 at 22:11

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Other than possibly the last one, these are not topics in informal logic. #4 concerning sarcasm detection is probably not suitable for a philosophy journal at all. So I don't think answering the question you pose — to list informal logic journals — will serve your interests.

For most of these topics, a general philosophy journal would probably be the best bet. If you use a search engine for "general philosophy journal," you will turn up many lists of them.

However, that is also not the best way to find a place to publish. I would caution you about sending off a manuscript to a miscellaneous philosophy journal without spending some time reading published work on the same topic, and figuring out which of the articles you want to engage with. Use the PhilPapers database to identify publications on the topic which you will engage in your writing. To take your first example, which publications analyze Descartes's assumptions? Then, you might consider sending it to one of the journals in which you have found the work you are responding to published. That is, if you've engaged the work you must engage to be published in a philosophy journal, you already have some suggestions on hand about where the work could be considered for publication.

If for any reason you haven't engaged the professional philosophy literature in your writing, if you haven't made an effort to demonstrate familiarity with the research and arguments made by others on the same topic, I would recommend not sending the work to a philosophy journal. (It would just waste your time and produce an unenjoyable, negative result for you.) Philosophy journals, pretty much as a rule, expect this sort of engagement and deep familiarity with the existing literature, and will typically return papers that do not do it without reviewing them.

Occasionally non-professional philosophers think of this as unfair or elitist. The authors are very clever, and they have some ideas they are excited about, and they think the ideas deserve publication in a philosophy journal. However, this is a misunderstanding. Very clever ideas are not what philosophy journals are interested in publishing. Their lack of interest in a paper is not a reflection of whether or not it is brilliant. Rather, they seek ideas that contribute to the philosophical discussion. That requires engaging what others have said, every bit as much as entering a conversation in ordinary life requires listening a little to what others have said and acknowledging it and responding to it.

For ideas that don't engage the professional literature, there are still many options: publish your work online, in any of the available formats.

ChristopherE
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  • Any idea how I can have it evaluated then? You are absolutely correct that my work does not directly discuss existing literature, but analyzes it on informal logic, and produces new theories. There seems to be no avenue online. It's a hard situation I am facing to be honest. They are also pretty standalone. –  Sep 10 '17 at 01:12
  • You were right. I could use a tutor. Would you mind helping me with my ideas? You could go through Descartes's argument of mine for starters and let me know if it interests you. My theory of truth is what I consider my best idea so far. Here : ng2600.blogspot.com , a lot of my ideas are here. I have also been writing about a few other topics personally. Just that they occasional need a little discussion. Please help! –  Sep 10 '17 at 01:17
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Wikipedia. Enter search term, "logic journal". Read the mission statements for those journals whose title looks promising. And keep in mind that, with the topics you have chosen, you are reaching for the stars.

Mark Andrews
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  • Any logic journal would publish an article or paper on informal logic as well? I have never published before so do not know the precise rules and regulations. Informal logic is a little different. Can only be established under arguments, so I am not even sure how to submit my work here. –  Sep 09 '17 at 02:28
  • https://philosophy.stackexchange.com/questions/45724/is-my-argument-against-descartess-i-think-therefore-i-am-logically-sound , I already covered the first one here. Can't pose the rest as questions, I am afraid. –  Sep 09 '17 at 02:29