The Art of Logical Thinking

CHAPTER I.

REASONING

"Reasoning" is defined as: "The act, process, or art of exercising the faculty of reason; the act or faculty of employing reason in argument; argumentation, ratiocination original: "ratiocination" — the process of exact thinking or logical reasoning.; reasoning power; disputation, discussion, and argumentation." Stewart Dugald Stewart (1753–1828) was an influential Scottish philosopher who wrote extensively on the "philosophy of the human mind." says: "The word reason itself is far from being precise in its meaning. In common and popular discourse, it denotes that power by which we distinguish truth from falsehood, and right from wrong, and by which we are enabled to combine means for the attainment of particular ends."

By the employment of the reasoning faculties of the mind, we compare objects presented to the mind as percepts Percepts: the mental impressions or images of objects received directly through the senses. or concepts Concepts: abstract ideas or general notions formed by the mind to represent a category of things.. We take up the "raw materials" of thought and weave them into more complex and elaborate mental fabrics, which we call abstract and general ideas of truth. Brooks Edward Brooks (1831–1912) was an American educator and author known for his works on mental science and the philosophy of education. says: "It is the thinking power of the mind; the faculty which gives us what has been called thought-knowledge..."