| Sup guys ;) I'm starting this thing, finally ;p Let's go with a simple question : What is reason to you ? Do you value it over everything ? Do you question it ?  Feel free to go on a rant or answer by just a couple of sentences, there's no wrong answer here ;) |
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| Well, there is a whole philosophical background for the term and I don't have enough reading to define it myself. But if I have any idea of what it is, then it relates to the act of conscious thought while trying to find explanations or making sense of things. In my understanding, reason is separate from empirical logic in the sense that not every rationale is logical with regards to how things really seem to work. Logic seems to refer to the relation or connection between things (that "logically follow"), while reason takes a step further by trying to reach a higher conclusion from the information at hand. The beauty and the problem with that is that rational thought can lead to non-empiric conclusions that steer away from the actual data we realistically have. For instance, religions can be considered rational attempts to explain the universe or aspects of life, since prominent religious figures often tried using more elaborate methodological thought to achieve a higher truth, but those attempts rarely stick to the plain logical things. And I think we all know that rational choices are not necessarily always the "best" choices, because they can hurt our feelings, our rights, our way of living. I also do not believe that there is pure rational thought without emotions as some try to pursue — that is simply impossible for us animals. I'm probably a bit off here and there though, especially with the terminology. |
| @Sheklon I find your answer really interesting, thank you ! This part mainly : Sheklon said: The beauty and the problem with that is that rational thought can lead to non-empiric conclusions that steer away from the actual data we realistically have. For instance, religions can be considered rational attempts to explain the universe or aspects of life, since prominent religious figures often tried using more elaborate methodological thought to achieve a higher truth, but those attempts rarely stick to the plain logical things. So reason gives you "truths" that don't reflect our experience of reality and empirical evidence ? It's how I feel about it as well. Which brings my next question : What is the origin of reason for you ? Would it be linked to religious thinking itself, maybe even created and driven by it ? |
MoonspeakMay 7, 2022 11:34 PM
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Moonspeak said: So reason gives you "truths" that don't reflect our experience of reality and empirical evidence ? It's how I feel about it as well. Which brings my next question : What is the origin of reason for you ? Would it be linked to religious thinking itself, maybe even created and driven by it ? Correct, though they're hardly "truths" in the end. For instance, trying to explain phenomena around with energy, karma, God, spirits, all of them are attempts of rationalizing the situation and the workings of reality, but this kind of spiritual approach is often linked to a lack of empiric knowledge. The less we understand the physics around us, the more we resort to our mental, sometimes made up rules of how things work. So I guess that partially answers your last question; yes, animism and religious thinking play a big role in how humans try to understand the world around them, because we look for agents and "reasons" in everything, even if there might be none (at least none that's more interesting than "it was physically bound to happen"). This and pattern recognition are our major methods to form a big picture (or even go in detail) about the things we experience. Of course, thanks to our sensory receptors and our ability to create methods, such as the scientific method, we can eventually refine more and more of our understanding, without having to resort as much to "wishful thinking", so to say. But at the end of the day you can also say that science if fallible, and more complex fields frequently show us that we'll continue making mistakes and confirming to preferred "truths" for a long time. The answer to the origin of reason for me is pretty lame, I'm afraid. think reason originates from our biological necessity to make sense of the mechanisms that surround us in order to survive. Just that. Of course, later also comes an emotional and social layer, of being happy for understanding things and respected for being knowledgeable. Those combined are probably why we're so curious and eager to learn more. It's fascinating to have an idea of things and then seeing it unfold just as you thought. It gives a sense of security and power. |
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