Higher Reason vs Lower Reason
* Article: Higher Reason and Lower Reason. By John S. Uebersax.
URL = https://www.john-uebersax.com/plato/pdf/Higher_Reason_and_Lower_Reason.pdf
Description
"A certain ambiguity of the word 'reason' is the source of considerable confusion. Inasmuch as the use of reason is among the most important things we do as human beings, this is not something we wish to be confused about. Far from being a minor definitional issue, therefore, this subject is of great concern, as it relates vitally both to the ability of individuals to achieve their full potential as thinking, moral, and spiritual beings, and, at the collective level, to the integrity of culture and of social institutions.
We can summarize the argument presented herein as follows:
1. There are two distinct faculties or powers of the human mind which are currently referred to by the word 'reason'.
2. Confusion between these two meanings – an inevitable result of having one word to designate two different things – has serious negative consequences, psychologically and socially.
3. We can and should use two different words to denote these two things; for this we may potentially adapt existing English words, borrow terms from Greek philosophy, or invent new ones.
The plan of this article is as follows. The remainder of this section will describe the two mental faculties currently lumped together under the term, 'reason' and consider their unique natures and features. The second section will consider in what ways the higher sense of 'reason' is related to our moral and spiritual nature. The third section will discuss the psychological and cultural importance of distinguishing the two faculties. Fourth, the issue of alternative terminology will be addressed."