15

REASONING

...nature of the things they see. But reason is the eye of the mind, and it enables us to see why things are as they are, and when and how events may be made to happen or be prevented from happening. The logician original: "logician" — a person who studies or is skilled in the rules of valid reasoning. tries to learn exactly what this "reason" is that creates the power of human beings. As I have said, we all must reason, whether we do it well or poorly; but logic is the science of reasoning. It enables us to distinguish between the good reasoning that leads to truth and the bad reasoning that every day leads people into error and misfortune."

In this volume, we hope to be able to point out the methods and principles for correctly using the mind's reasoning powers. We will do this in a plain, simple manner, free from useless technical jargon and academic debate. We will generally follow the principles established by the best authorities of the "old school" of psychology, while blending them with the findings of the best authorities of the "New Psychology" The "New Psychology" refers to the late 19th-century movement that began using scientific experiments and physiology to study the mind, whereas the "old school" was more focused on philosophy and introspection (looking inward at one's own thoughts).. No attempt will be made to turn this book into a school textbook; our sole objective and aim is to bring this important subject before the general public, which is composed of—