--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Reason is non-negotiable. Try to argue…" description: "\"Reason is non-negotiable. Try to argue against it, or to exclude it from some realm of knowledge, and you've already lost the argument, because you're ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f5a/steven-pinker-526_arguing_reason-is-non-negotiable-try-to-argue-ag_3086413.jpg" --- # Reason is non-negotiable. Try to argue against it, or to… ![“Reason is non-negotiable. Try to argue against it, or to exclude it from some realm of knowledge, and you've already lost the argument, because you're using reason to make your case. ... We don't "believe" in reason.” quote by Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f5a/steven-pinker-526_arguing_reason-is-non-negotiable-try-to-argue-ag_3086413.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f5a/steven-pinker-526_arguing_reason-is-non-negotiable-try-to-argue-ag_3086413.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f5a/steven-pinker-526_arguing_reason-is-non-negotiable-try-to-argue-ag_3086413.jpg) > “Reason is non-negotiable. Try to argue against it, or to exclude it from some realm of knowledge, and you've already lost the argument, because you're using reason to make your case. ... We don't "believe" in reason.” [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Reason is essential; denying it undermines any argument because you rely on it to argue. **In simple terms:** Reason is unavoidable in debate. Key Takeaway Acknowledge reason's role. Themes logic argumentation critical thinking Mood thoughtful analytical Type philosophical educational When to use this quote - political debate - legal reasoning - ethical discussions Key Concepts philosophy epistemology Questions to Reflect On - How do we ensure reason stays objective? - What limits reason in complex issues? A Different Perspective Reason can be biased by assumptions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Arguing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arguing/) [Argument](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/argument/) [Belief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/belief/) [Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) [Believe Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe-reason/) [Cases](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cases/) [Don't believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/don-t-believe/) [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Have faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/have-faith/) [Logic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/logic/) [Lost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lost/) [Miracle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/miracle/) [Non Negotiable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/non-negotiable-426137/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Realms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/realms/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Reason Non](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason-non-1878908/) [Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying/) [Use](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/use/) [Using Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/using-reason-273761/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) ## Related quotes > [Reason is non-negotiable. Try to argue against it, or to exclude it from some realm of knowledge, and you've already lost the argument, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/reason-is-non-negotiable-try-to-argue-against-it-or-to-exclude-it/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) > [There's no reason to be non-violent. There's no challenge unless you are living for people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesar-chavez/there-s-no-reason-to-be-non-violent-there-s-no-challenge-unless-you/) [Cesar Chavez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesar-chavez/) > [“To reason with the non-Christian in a fashion purporting to be independent of God or independent of reliance upon revelation is to honor the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-l-bahnsen/to-reason-with-the-non-christian-in-a-fashion-purporting-to-be/) [Greg L. Bahnsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-l-bahnsen/) > [I don't believe there's a reason for everything, and having faith doesn't mean I'm blind. I believe people make poor choices. I believe bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tammara-webber/i-don-t-believe-there-s-a-reason-for-everything-and-having-faith/) [Tammara Webber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tammara-webber/) > [I like tinkering with the tribe beat boxes and love using Reason as a beefed up beat box.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-mastelotto/i-like-tinkering-with-the-tribe-beat-boxes-and-love-using-reason-as-a/) [Pat Mastelotto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-mastelotto/) > [“Using reason without applying it to experience only leads to theoretical illusions. Ideas derived from real world experiences lead to acquisition of knowledge, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kilroy-j-oldster/using-reason-without-applying-it-to-experience-only-leads-to/) [Kilroy J. Oldster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kilroy-j-oldster/) > [You're doing it again. Using reason to argue faith. Can't be done. Like playing croquet with a crochet hook. Sounds something like the right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-re-doing-it-again-using-reason-to-argue-faith-can-t-be-done-like/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Our style of play is non-negotiable, but we also have to become ruthless serial winners.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-neville/our-style-of-play-is-non-negotiable-but-we-also-have-to-become/) [Phil Neville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-neville/) > [Spending time in the presence of Jesus is a non-negotiable. Don't wait until you have time to do it. MAKE time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-caine/spending-time-in-the-presence-of-jesus-is-a-non-negotiable-don-t-wait/) [Christine Caine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-caine/) > [The way I see it, the men that I'm with, whoever they are, it's like look, you have to accept the fact that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tori-amos/the-way-i-see-it-the-men-that-i-m-with-whoever-they-are-it-s-like/) [Tori Amos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tori-amos/) > [When I was deciding whether or not to take the job at Celine, I didn't really look at the history of the house. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phoebe-philo/when-i-was-deciding-whether-or-not-to-take-the-job-at-celine-i-didn-t/) [Phoebe Philo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phoebe-philo/) > [I want to be a very good friend to Indonesia, but there are some things which are non-negotiable. Border protection is just non-negotiable. Maintaining…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-abbott/i-want-to-be-a-very-good-friend-to-indonesia-but-there-are-some/) [Tony Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-abbott/) > [I give myself a non-negotiable eight-hour sleep opportunity every night.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-walker/i-give-myself-a-non-negotiable-eight-hour-sleep-opportunity-every/) [Matthew Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-walker/) > [“Marriage is a contract. Love is non-negotiable.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-zafra/marriage-is-a-contract-love-is-non-negotiable/) [Jessica Zafra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-zafra/) > [My values are non-negotiable. And if it means not getting a role, it means not getting a role.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassidy-erin-gifford/my-values-are-non-negotiable-and-if-it-means-not-getting-a-role-it/) [Cassidy Erin Gifford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassidy-erin-gifford/) ## More by Steven Pinker > [Forcing modern speakers of English to not - whoops, not to split an infinitive because it isn't done in Latin makes about as much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/forcing-modern-speakers-of-english-to-not-whoops-not-to-split-an/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) > [Consistent style prevents presentation from getting in the way of content.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/consistent-style-prevents-presentation-from-getting-in-the-way-of/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) > [The supposedly immaterial soul, we now know, can be bisected with a knife, altered by chemicals, started or stopped by electricity, and extinguished by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/the-supposedly-immaterial-soul-we-now-know-can-be-bisected-with-a/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) > [I've never argued that humans are massively hot-wired. 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