by Harnaak Singh        (170209)

Gur Sikh Jio. Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh.

MIND – REASON

We have learnt about the WILL, PERCEPTION and the MEMORY faculties of the MIND. MEDITATION aids focus, which strengthens the WILL power.  Our view, others view and DUALITY are considerations for the faculty of PERCEPTION.  MEMORY has three essential parts: SENSORY, SHORT TERM and LONG TERM MEMORY.

Today we will look at the REASON faculty of the MIND.

REASONING involves the choice of certain facts or assumptions and then making judgements, decisions, conclusions or inferences based on these.  The facts or assumptions can be from

• • the information we attain from our FIVE SENSE organs (ਗਿਆਨ ਇੰਦਰੀਆਂ) – this is external OR
• • the ideas we formulate regarding a subject or object – this is internal  OR
• • a combination of the above two.

The decisions or judgements are made by analysing, comparing and evaluating the information.

Substantial information is available from different sources and with different values and this could include conflicting information.  The REASON faculty also filters out or blocks the unwanted information.  The required information will be sent on to the conscious mind for us to make a decision.

As an example, consider that I am waiting at the roadside for a bus.  I see a bus number 10 approaching.  This information goes into the REASON faculty which also gets the information from MEMORY that I need to take a number 11 bus.  Analysing and comparing this information with past experience, the REASON faculty makes a decision and tells the mind not to flag the bus. 

There are two main types of REASONING, DEDUCTIVE and INDUCTIVE reasoning.  DEDUCTIVE REASONING is when we draw a specific conclusion based on the available information related to the task at hand.  INDUCTIVE REASONING on the other hand is making a broad generalisation from specific observations.

The above example about the bus is DEDUCTIVE REASONING.  An example of INDUCTIVE REASONING is “in the past month and today” I took a bus to work.  Therefore tomorrow and in future I will take a bus to work.

The picture shows this diagrammatically.

Thank You for listening and reading.  ਗਲਤੀਆਂ ਦੀ ਖਿਮਾ.

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh.

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