1897. On Reasoning

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ON REASONING

Schubert M. Ogden

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There are various human activities or forms of life-praxis that provide the contexts of communication and reasoning. Thus there are also various corresponding fields of reasoning or argument. 

Any such field is like all the others, however, in providing a public, interpersonal, or social forum for rationally criticizing claims to validity arising within the context constituted by the corresponding activity or form of life­-praxis. Whatever the activity or form of praxis in which our claims may originate, reasoning is the critical activity in the larger process of communication whereby our claims are opened up to public, collective criticism by reference to shared standards. By "reasoning," then, is properly meant, simply, the activity of giving reasons to support one's claims; and this is the activity or procedure that is critical to "communication," in the sense of the larger activity or procedure of making or implying claims to validity, challenging them, supporting them with reasons, criticizing these reasons, rebutting the criticisms, etc. Reasoning in this sense, then, does not originate ideas or claims, nor does it answer the question once and for all whether they are valid. The task of reasoning in this sense, rather, is always more limited—namely, in each situation to enable one to make the best decision possible about a particular issue, in particular circumstances, in just that particular context. 

But since this task of reasoning always is essentially the same regardless of the particular context, situation, circumstances, or issue, it is possible to analyze the process or procedure of reasoning as such, so as to understand its various elements. The results of one such analysis, which is typical of those carried out by contemporary philosophers, are summarized in the following diagram. 

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