Everyday Reasoning and the Roots of Intelligence

Be reasonable! That familiar imperative serves as just one reminder of the value we vest in people's rational conduct of their own lives and their dealings with others. We want ourselves and those with whom we interact to make sound decisions that reflect thoughtful exploration of the alternatives and the factors that recommend one over another. We want to eschew silly, hasty, and misguided beliefs in favor of a sound picture of the world. Although we may, on occasion, want to take a little fling and do something unreasonable, on the whole we all want to be reasonable.