Phenomenology of reason

Ram Mall

pp. 129-141

in: Ulrich Claesges, Klaus Held (eds), Perspektiven transzendentalphänomenologischer Forschung, The Hague, Nijhoff, 1972

Abstract

The term "reason" is one of the most deceitful in philosophy and it has given rise to a number of theories ranging from reason as a supernatural God-like faculty to reason as a fixed entity with a priori principles constituting human experience, actual as well as possible. Reason, as against experience, is generally thought to be the source of certainty, universality and truth. Reason, according to Blanshard, "is the function of grasping necessary connections." ¹ This definition is no doubt clear and short, but it lays much stress on demonstration in opposition to description, explication, understanding and justification.