REASON (Lat. ratio, through French raison)

This article appears in Volume V22, Page 947 of the Encyclopedia Britannica.

Encyclopedia Britannica - Main :: RAY-RHU

REASON (Lat. ratio, through French raison) , in philosophy, the faculty or process of drawing logical inferences. Thus we speak of man as essentially a rational animal, it being implied that man differs from all other animals in that he can consciously draw inferences from premises. It is, however, exceedingly difficult in this respect to draw an

absolute

ABSOLUTE (Lat. absolvere, to loose, set free)

distinction between men and animals, observation of which undoubtedly suggests that the latter have a certain power of making inferences. Between the higher animals and the lower types of mankind the distinction is so hard to draw that many psychologists argue that the difference is one of degree rather than of kind (see also INSTINCT). There can be little doubt, however, that inference by man differs from that of the brute creation in respect of self-consciousness, and, though there can be no doubt that some animals dream, it is difficult to find evidence for the presence of ideal images in the minds of
any but the highest animals. In the nature of the case satisfactory conclusions as to the rationality which may be predicated of animals are impossible.
The

term

TERM

" reason " is also used in several narrower senses. Thus reason is opposed to sensation, perception, feeling, desire, as the faculty (the existence of which is denied by empiricists) by which fundamental truths are intuitively apprehended. These fundamental truths are the causes or " reasons " (apXai) of all derivative facts. With Kant, reason (Vernunft) is the power of synthesizing into unity, by means of comprehensive principles, the concepts provided by the intellect (Verstand). The reason which gives a priori principles Kant calls " Pure Reason " (cf. the Kritik der reinen Vernunft), as distinguished from the "

Practical

PRACTICAL

Reason " (praktische Vernunft) which is specially concerned with the performance of particular actions. In formal logic the drawing of inferences (frequently called " ratiocination," from Lat. ratiocinari, to use the reasoning faculty) is classified from

Aristotle

ARISTOTLE
ARISTOTLE (384-322 B.C.)

downwards as deductive (from generals to particulars) and inductive (from particulars to generals); see LOGIC,

INDUCTION

INDUCTION (from Lat. inducere, to lead into; cf. Gr. ilrayu yli)

SYLLOGISM

SYLLOGISM (Gr. ovAAoytvľos, from en', and Xb-yor, an argument resulting from combination, i.e. of premises)

. In theology, reason, as distinguished from faith, is the human intelligence exercised upon religious truth whether by way of discovery or by way of explanation. The limits within which the reason may be used have been laid down differently in different churches and periods of thought: on the whole,

modern

MODERN

Christianity, especially in the

Protestant

PROTESTANT

churches, tends to allow to reason a wide field, reserving, however, as the sphere of faith the ultimate (supernatural) truths of theology.
The Greek words for reason are vows and X yos, both vaguely used. In

Aristotle

ARISTOTLE
ARISTOTLE (384-322 B.C.)

the Xiyos of a thing is its definition, including its formal cause, while the ultimate principles of a science are apXai, the " reasons " (in a common

modern

MODERN

sense) which explain all its particular facts.' Novs in Plato and Aristotle is used both widely for all the meanings which " reason " can have, and strictly for the faculty which apprehends intuitively. Thus, in the Republic, vows is the faculty which apprehends necessary truth, while Sofa (

opinion

OPINION (Lat. opinio, from opinari, to think)

) is concerned with phenomena.
For the Stoic and Neoplatonic uses of Abyss, as also for those of

Philo

PHILO
PHILO, HERENNIUS

Judaeus and the Fathers, see Locos.

End of Article: REASON (Lat. ratio, through French raison)

If you wish, you can link directly to this article.

<a href="http://jcsm.org/StudyCenter/Encyclopedia/RAY_RHU/REASON_Lat_ratio_through_Frenc.html">
REASON (Lat. ratio, through French raison)
</a>

(Previous)
REAR VAULT (Fr. arriere voussure)

(Next)
REAUMUR, RENE ANTOINE FERCHAULT DE (1683-1757)

JCSM was founded in 1997 and exists to help the community and bring people into a life-changing and productive relationship with Jesus Christ. JCSM offers over 200,000 free web pages, including its weekly inspirational emails that were sent continuously for over a decade.

Jesus Christ Saves Ministries
P.O. Box 9297
San Diego, CA 92169
1-888-887-0417 or Email