Reason as a Way of Knowing

Reason is the procedure in which the ability to think, understand and draw conclusions is involved. Reasoning can be identified as a way of knowing in which we construct meanings together, in order to reach a plausible and logical conclusion. In general, reasoning is the ability of people to decide whether information is valid or not. Reason, is not the safest way of discovering the validity of information’s because it can cloud knowledge to a certain extent, in cases of different cultural background and beliefs. This is mostly because we greatly rely on our emotions and our own point of view. Moreover, in order to gain reason we also require the use of emotion and perception. Thus reason can indeed help in acquiring knowledge, but only up to a certain degree, as there are both strengths and weaknesses in the case of reason as means of gaining knowledge.

      What made man superior to the other animals was the ability of reasoning. But along with reason, also came will. Reason made man supreme but Will made man susceptible to temptation. A tangible example to support this view is the story of Adam and Eve. God created Adam and blessed him with reason thus making him superior to other animals. Along with Adam he also created Eve in order to accompany him. God had warned both of them that they were free to do anything they wanted, as long as they didn’t eat the apple from the tree of Knowledge. But one day Satan approached Eve and persuaded her by stressing that the consummation of all virtues is reason. God warned Adam not to be tempted and use his will without thinking, for some tempting forces should inveigle it. Satan’s temptation worked and Eve was seduced, bringing woe and misery to mankind. Thus Reason can be seen as both an advantage as well as a disadvantage when gaining knowledge.

      The meaning of the word Reason overlaps to a large extent with “rationality”, and in philosophical contexts, it means rational, not reasonable, which in turn means...