(Q.1) The conscious application of
logic to draw a conclusion or decision from
new or existing knowledge with the aim of seeking truth we
shall call reasoning. Not all things and not
all living things have the capacity for reasoning. The
development of the frontal cortex of the brain in mammals
has enabled them to utilize reasoning. The relative
size of the frontal cortex largely determines the extent to which those
mammals with a frontal cortex can reason. Homo sapiens have
developed the greatest capacity for reasoning.
(Q.2) The process by which reasoning occurs in
the brain is unknown. We only know that it requires a living
brain with a frontal cortex and we do know that it happens within specific
neural regions the brain. We further know that reasoning can
be impaired by introduction of certain chemical agents and can be damaged or
lost by damage to the region of the brain where reasoning occurs.
Finally, we know that the reasoning ability varies from
animal species and within individual in each species. We say that humans have a
greater ability for reasoning than their pet dog, and that Joe with an
intelligent quotient (IQ) of 150 has a greater reasoning ability
than John with an average IQ of 100.
(Q.3) The mental process of reasoning follows the
rules of logic in using knowledge composed of digital
information. Further, it assumes that the knowledge that
is input is true until logically proven
otherwise. Reasoning is accomplished by digitally
processing the information input into the material data processor within
the brain composed of various configuration of neural
cells, some of which are configured as biological logic gates.
As an example, the input of the knowledge that the
image of the thing being observed is an apple and the knowledge
that the color of the thing being observed has
the quale of redness. A biological AND gate processes the
two inputs and yields the reasoned output as
new knowledge that "the apple is red".
The brain performs untold thousands of these biological
logic process every day.
(Q.4) Reasoning utilizes accessible knowledge of
cause and effect to develop a logical truth, with cause
and effect serving the purpose of a AND logic gates to
initiate the "if then" flow of the input. Lack
of knowledge limits the development of truths.
Examples include lack of knowledge that limits the truths attributable
to the Ultimate Supreme Being itself. Of what
we do not know we must not speak.
We can, however, uses assumptions of knowledge to
test premises for truths with the logic of
reasoning in conjunction with the observation of
cause and effect to reveal new truths. This
is the method we call science that results in new truths of
is as that we call scientific knowledge.
It is how, for example, we have knowledge of the truth that
light of different wavelengths different qualia of color in
the brain, that sensory input of the physical causes are
sent to the brain from sensors in our skin and organs
over neural networks to the brain where they are processes to
produce the qualia of pain and emotion of
distress, and that the knowledge that the earth is not flat as the false
truth as once held to be true. Without sensory
data to use as information for creating knowledge and
without knowledge to use in thought
itself using the logic of reasoning no truths can be
established as fact.
(Q.5) Reasoning and emotion are
often combined to result in action but the extent of each in
producing that action varies from none to all. As an
example, no reasoning is required to produce the action of
removing your hand from a hot stove. The emotion of pain is
sufficient to produce the action. But reasoning is
sufficient cause for the action of not
placing your hand on hot stove. Recall of memory of
the emotion of pain you experienced as the result of
physical cause and effect when you placed previously placed
you hand on a hot stove drives your reasoning. If you were
a young child you had never experienced the pain of touching a
hot stove, reasoning would not prevent you from touched
the hot stove because of lack of knowledge of the emotion it
would elicit. Likewise if you had lost memory of the experience
as the result of, say, a head trauma, would not prevent you from
touched the hot stove. This process of gaining knowledge by
experience we shall call learning can be used in the reasoning
process.
Reasoning my result in a completely different action with
regards to the hot stove. You may recall from memory at the
hot stove can elicit either the emotion of pain if it is
too hot or of pleasure if sufficiently cool to warm you
when you are cold. As result you use reasoning to
conduct a scientific experiment to determine which emotion is
likely to result from touching it by approaching it slowly with your hand. So
long as the negative emotion of pain does not dominate its
opposite negative emotion of pleasure
(Q.6) It is held that production and interplay of negative
and positive emotions, by direct experience, by way of reasoning,
or by a combination of both, is the ultimate cause of all effects of
all motivation of all human actions other than
those reflexes built into our genetic code. . All other actions such
as the reflexes built into our genetic code, are the more direct result of the laws
of nature, devoid of the biological determinism resulting
from human emotion. Indeed, the beating action of our
you heart does not require any emotion, knowledge, or reasoning to
occur even though some emotions may result in it
beating faster.
(Q) Reasoning is mental
activity in brain to use some system of