Is Reason Truly Reliable?

  • Thread starter Thread starter mercmisfire
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Reason
Click For Summary
The discussion centers on the validity of reason and its relationship with sensory perception, referencing the ancient philosopher Al-Ghazali. Participants debate whether reason can be deemed absolutely correct, given that it can potentially be superseded by a greater faculty, just as reason reveals the limitations of the senses. Some argue that while sensory evaluations may be flawed, sense perception itself is axiomatic and cannot be deemed wrong. The conversation also touches on the nature of logic, suggesting that different types of reasoning exist, and that logic cannot self-validate without assumptions. Ultimately, the dialogue raises fundamental questions about the reliability of both reason and sensory perception in understanding reality.
  • #31
Logical operators are needed: "false = false", "true = true". From there, a logical construct begs the question. If I run into a wall and the wall breaks my nose [I have done this], I am forced to assume the wall knows at least as I about reality. My nose agrees. I do not know the precise nature of the 'wall'. I do, however, know I would rather use your nose than mine to test the theory again.
 
Physics news on Phys.org
  • #32
Chronos said:
Logical operators are needed: "false = false", "true = true". From there, a logical construct begs the question. If I run into a wall and the wall breaks my nose [I have done this], I am forced to assume the wall knows at least as I about reality. My nose agrees. I do not know the precise nature of the 'wall'. I do, however, know I would rather use your nose than mine to test the theory again.

At least you know that you are quantitatively and logically relating to something...that's the beauty of reason!
 
  • #33
Logic that works is that which represents phenomena. statements that do not represent are not testable.

E.g.,

"This statement is false."

Doesn't represent any phenomena & is obviously untestable. It doesn't work. Although it appears to represent itself, "it" is purely abstract. I.e., threre is no *Semantic Ground* for the statement to stand on.

This is the nature of "pre-logic". -- The thinking that preceeds the constructions of axioms.
 
  • #34
People! GET REAL, Reason is but a tool to enable us to navigate reality. Reality is but a perception upon which we base the understanding of our lives. reason is based on a set of rules that we derive form our understanding of reality. Got it.

If we perceive reality with but a slim set of truths then we can only derive a slim set of reason. we can only properly address a that which are equipt to address.
 
  • #35
Never mind all this jargon, reason is extremely simple.

Pick up a pencil and drop it.

If you do this 20 times and believe it will do the same thing next time you do it you are being reasonable as you have reason to believe it will do the same thing the 21st time you drop it.
 
  • #36
Nicomachus said:
I mean sure you can deny axioms and be a nihilist but you would have no other option but to be comatose, lest you be a hypocrite.
*Nico
I agree, but if someone is a nihilist, what do they care if they're a hypocrite? It seems that label would only have meaning to someone that accepts the axioms in the first place.

Also, what happens when we distinguish rationality from reason? I mean, if we are talking about using reason, are we implying that we are being rational? Doesn't a nihilist use reason to determine that being rational isn't all it's cracked up to be? It seems that reason is inherent and that instead rationalism is what the topic should be about.
 

Similar threads

Replies
1
Views
2K
  • · Replies 55 ·
2
Replies
55
Views
6K
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
3K
  • · Replies 6 ·
Replies
6
Views
2K
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
4K
  • · Replies 293 ·
10
Replies
293
Views
35K
  • · Replies 5 ·
Replies
5
Views
1K
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
3K
Replies
18
Views
3K
Replies
47
Views
8K