Until recently, the idea of reason felt amorphous to me, like a phenomenon that is such a normal part of reality that we don’t see it. It can feel like reasoning just… happens. And it does. Because it’s so fundamental to the science of explanation, I’m trying to figure it out.
Last week we looked at personal and social reasoning, and how our reasoning can lead us astray. We learned about the challenge of representing what we know for others.
My goal today is to make reasoning feel real. By giving it a shape, I hope that we can start to see it from a more concrete perspective.
For this, deconstruct the idea of reason and look at it in terms of direction.
A Starting Point
Part of being human is asking the same question over and over: does this make sense to me, or not? The world around us is full of both mysteries and explanations. Reason is how we figure out what makes sense and what to do next.
In order for reasoning to begin, we have to have something to reason about. This could be a headline, a statement in a meeting, or a weather pattern. This provides the starting point our minds need to engage.
You can think about the starting point as a “claim.” Here, a claim is a statement that describes what is happening or may happen. Reason is how we evaluate claims and work out what follows. We think through a claim and decide whether to believe it or not.
An Example
Imagine a friend saying, “It’s going to rain tomorrow.” You have a choice… You can believe them and move on, or you can evaluate the claim. Evaluating means asking yourself a question like “Are there reasons this is true?” Working out those reasons is a form of reasoning.
Reasoning Backward and Forward
You can think of reasoning happening on a timeline, with the claim in the middle. Let’s use the weather as an example. Here the claim is “It will rain tomorrow.”
Reasoning Backward ⬅️
If this statement catches our attention and feels shaky, we might take the extra step to engage our minds and think about its accuracy by considering something in the past.
We ask, “Who is making this claim and what is it based on?” We might look for evidence in the form of authority, like the National Weather Service or a local meteorologist. We might consider biases, misconceptions, or how weather information was communicated.
When we look backward, we also apply our own knowledge and patterns. Does this claim match what I expect to happen? Does this contradict something I know to be true?
By looking backward, we apply reason to shake out the truth.
Reasoning Forward ➡️
Reason is also how we plan for the future. When we evaluate a claim, we also consider the possibility that it is true and what impact it will have. If I’m planning a picnic, the weather forecast matters. Reasoning about the future is how we anticipate what to do if the claim is accurate. Perhaps we watch a movie instead.
When we reason forward, we are trying to predict the future based on a claim. What if it’s true?
You can test backward and forward reasoning yourself.
The next time you see a headline in the news, make an effort to apply reason. Ask yourself: Who is making this claim, and what is it based on? What evidence is there? Consider why it may be accurate, inaccurate, or misleading.
Then think about the future. Use your reasoning power to consider what would happen if the headline were true. What would you expect to happen? How would you react?
Reasoning in a Loop 🔁
When we reason backward and forward, a loop can form that allows us to test and update our reasoning. When we expect something to happen (rain tomorrow) and it doesn’t, we can go back and inspect our reasoning.
What did I miss?
What should I do next time?
When rain doesn’t happen, we can make a new claim, like “I trusted the claim. Next time, I’ll have a backup plan.” With this claim in place, the process starts again.
This reasoning loop is a normal part of how we navigate daily life. We are constantly updating our expectations with incoming information, making claims, and testing them in order to find the right path forward.
Why does this matter?
By explaining reason in terms of direction, I hope you can start to notice when you’re using reason, what you’re reasoning about, and how it impacts your perception of the future.
We take it for granted, but our ability to reason is one of the most magical parts of being human. We don’t always accept what we see or what we’re told. We can be stubborn in that way, and the results are often fruitful when we use reason effectively.
At this moment, you may be reasoning about this post. Are the reasons to believe it? Ask yourself:
Claim: Reasoning can be understood by thinking backward and forward.
Backward: Is the post based on trustworthy information? Why should I believe it?
Forward: If the claim is true, what should I do next? How can I use it?
I hope you find reasons to use this information in the future. I’d love to hear your thoughts.
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I like the temporal aspect. Another post(s) might be in comparison with Bayes or Kahneman.