The Concept of Logical Thinking and Its Role in The Problem-Solving Process

Abstract

Logical thinking is commonly treated as a set of formal operations (analysis, inference, justification) and, at the same time, as a culturally mediated cognitive practice shaped by education, language, and domain experience. This article examines logical thinking as a functional system that supports problem solving by stabilizing reasoning under uncertainty, constraining intuitive responses, and enabling reliable verification of solutions. Using an integrative literature-based method (conceptual synthesis of cognitive psychology, educational theory, and problem-solving research), the study proposes a process model in which logical thinking contributes at each stage of problem solving: constructing a representation, selecting a strategy, executing inference, and validating outcomes. The results clarify how logical operations interact with heuristics, working memory, and metacognition, and why logical competence is not reducible to “knowing rules” but requires transfer-sensitive practice and reflective control. The discussion highlights instructional implications for developing learners’ reasoning: explicit argumentation routines, structured problem representation, and feedback that targets inferential steps rather than final answers. The conclusion argues that logical thinking functions as a quality-control mechanism in problem solving, improving accuracy, explainability, and transfer across tasks.