THE LONG REACH OF REASON The thing about reason is that it’s capable of delivering a conclusion at a whole different level of certainty than any other mental tool. In a reasoned argument, provided the starting assumptions are true, then the validly reasoned conclusions must also be true and can be known to be true. If you can walk someone through a reasoned argument convincingly, the idea you have planted in her mind will lodge there and never let go. But for the process to work, it must be broken down into small steps, each of which must be totally convincing.
