Position:Home>Philosophy> How does one defend, question, and TEST "reason"?
Question: How does one defend, question, and TEST "reason"!?
Well, the basic nature of this question is related to the topic in itself, so consider the fact that I'm even asking in your response!.
Reason can't be defended, because to defend it as reliable, one must "prove", through reason itself, that it is in fact reliable!. This doesn't work, because you're using a potentially flawed system to prove that a potentially flawed system is the right way to approach things, and nothing can be proven!.
But you can't really question reason either, because to question, one still follows the method of reason!.!.!. and again, if you're trying to question whether it's reliable, you can't use that potentially flawed system to prove or disprove it!.
And of course, I've reasoned everything out in this question!.!.!. is any of THIS reliable in questioning reason!? Is it at all possible to critique reason in a way that doesn't defeat the question and at the same time support the answer (this sounds like it means that reason is entirely valid, but i'm asking how one would go about suggesting an alternative to reason, how does one test the validity)!?
Www@QuestionHome@Com
Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:
it appears you are suggesting that testing reason is recursive - an interesting proposal!.
have you explored kant's critique of pure reason!?
i think you'll find that a posteriori principles will be your saving grace (ie mathematics, geometry, etc)Www@QuestionHome@Com
Of all the philosophy classes I took in college, the one that proved to be most useful was "Logic 101!."
It's math!. Only the a priori constructs of the initial assertion are up to debate!. The rest is, well, logical and immutable!.
It's amazing how Logic allows us stupid humans to actually function everyday, when reality is so strange to us!.!.!.
Www@QuestionHome@Com
i think the source of your confusion is that reason is not a potentially flawed system!. math is purereason and can't be flawed!. unless you just do bad math!. reason is like that!. if you reason badly you can be wrong!. if you reason properly you can't be!. but reason is dangerous because knowing the difference between sound reason and misleading deceiving reason is sometimes difficult!. but it is possible!. although there can be deeper implications of things you cannot possibly be aware of or reason about!.
For instance if there was a god for example, you could not reason that god exists!. there is no way, but potentially, if it was not in conflict with the laws of physics, at some point in the future it could be discovered that god created all the laws of physics and such!. though that won't happen!.
that's why science leaves things kind of open ended!. science says something and that's all they say!. they don't say more, because you can discover stuff later that suits reason better!. new evidence to support new reason!.
i mean there are many reasonable explanations as to how the dinosaurs went extinct!. but reason has not found certainty!. so, part of reason, and i think the most important part, is knowing when you've found certainty and when you haven't!.
so how you go about testing reason is to look at all the parts of it!. wonder, is that certain!? how do you know that!? why!? how come!? what makes you certain of that!?
i mean one thing is to just listen to someone and take their word for it!. the other way is to question everything they said, wonder what's the source of their information, and why it MUST be!. not that it could be!.
you can use math to test math!. you can use reason to test reason!. but if your reason that's testing reason is flawed, then yes you're screwed!. that's why lots of people can be mccain supporters!. that's why religions that promote deities exist!.
there's sound reasoning and bad reasoning!. being able to tell the difference is easier for some than others!. but the trick is to know the subject in question in it's entirety, to find the degree of certainty of every part of it!. when somebody says something!. wonder how do you know that!? why are you sure!? why do you think that!? is everything you're saying true!? how can i check that!? are you making a mistake of thinking something must be when really it only could be!?
reason is tricky you must approach it cautiously, and never trust it!. you must scrutinize it!. until you are certain it is certain!. not until it seems certain, or seems right!. until you are certain!. be strict with certainty!. people think they know easily think they are certain easily will argue together, both parties thinking they are certain!. they are too frugal with their certainty!.
Even having heard something from a considered reliable source is not being certain!. even knowing that einstein said something is not certainty!. but knowing why einstein was certain!. and creating the certainty for yourself is certainty!.
when it comes to reason you must forget about trust!. forget about the opinions of others!. and build everything you know with certainty!. trust no one!.
including me of course!. but hunt down my point of view, and challenge it!. find evidence of the contrary, examine every component!. find what must and what must not be!.
but proper reason works!. that's why we have technology!.
Www@QuestionHome@Com