The Illusion of Reason: Why We Think We Know What We Don't
How do we know what we know? ... Shattered Dreams We humans pride ourselves on our capacity for reason. We use logic to build skyscrapers, send rockets into space, and unravel the mysteries of the universe. But what if this very tool we rely on, this faculty of reason, is often leading us astray? What if the foundation upon which we build our understanding of the world is riddled with cracks and distortions, obscured by the shadows of early learning and unconscious biases? This isn't about questioning our intelligence or our ability to think critically. It's about recognizing the inherent limitations of reason, especially when divorced from experience and genuine understanding. It's about acknowledging the profound influence of early childhood experiences, those formative years when we first grapple with fundamental concepts like numbers, time, fairness, and even love. Defining Key Terms To understand how reason can sometimes lead us astray, it's helpful to define a few...