CROSSING THE THRESHOLD OF REASON
Keywords:
ReasonAbstract
Among the many definitions through which human beings tried to assess themselves, “homo animal rationale est” (man is a rational animal) stands out prominently. The rationale behind naming the currently thriving human race, homo sapiens,[1] may also be the same, i.e., our pride in being rational. If it is the reasoning capability that singles out our human race from the rest of the animal kingdom, then the absence of it, or a refusal to keep it operational, may have a degenerative effect on our human nature and essence. Being ‘rational’, human beings show an innate tendency to search for reasons behind everything they happen to experience. That may be why followers of every religion and “ism” are trying to prove the rationality behind their stance. However, we know that reasoning comes only after experiencing. Without experience, there is no room for reasoning. Mystics often try to explain their experiences logically and scientifically, while lamenting that their experiences are incommunicable.
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