7 - Diego B: What is Reason and Why it is Ambiguous

What is reason? What causes reason?: These were the questions which I considered before writing this argument. I feel that asking whether or not everything happens for a reason implies a larger question regarding the definition of reason. A reason is anything that causes something to occur, like a reason that two and one equal three, or a reason that Earth orbits around the sun. Those are all logical, certain reasons, but what about a reason to declare war, a reason to elect a Senator, or a reason to purchase a gift? Those are all based on opinions, so do we determine our definition of reason based upon fact or all causes of something, whether true or disputed? If the former were true, we can conclude that all universal events could be predetermined based upon logic and mathematical formulas, which would imply that everything happens for a reason. Personal reasons exist outside of logic, however, so are all opinions predetermined to imply that every opinion happens for a reason? I feel as though no personal event or opinion can happen with reason; you cannot predict with certainty what a person might feel regarding a certain subject. You can predict what two times four is, however, so a logical occurrence can happen with reason. To answer the question of whether everything happens without reason, in short, would be redefining the definition of reason altogether. The larger question to ask, in my opinion, is what reason means to you. If all were to happen without reason, then what would life be but irrational? If all were to happen with reason, then what would life be but rational? The question, therefore, is not whether everything occurs with or without reason, but whether your life occurs with or without reason. You can be the judge of that. (303 words)