As a noun, reason is the power of the mind to think, understand, and form judgments, or the cause or explanation for something. As a verb, to reason means to think about something in a logical way in order to reach a conclusion.
It comes from Old French “raison,” from Latin “ratio,” meaning “reason, calculation, cause.” The word has long linked thinking, explaining, and measuring in Western thought.
“Reason” is both a mental tool and the story you tell about why something happened, which is why people can argue about whose “reasons” are better. The same root that gives us “reason” also gives us “ratio,” quietly tying logical thought to mathematical comparison.
Across many traditions, "reason" has been coded as masculine in contrast to feminized "emotion" or "intuition," and this dichotomy has been used to justify excluding women from decision-making and education. Women’s reasoning abilities were often doubted or minimized in law, science, and philosophy.
Avoid implying that any gender is more or less capable of reason; focus on evidence, argument quality, and structural barriers to participation. When discussing historical views, make those biases explicit rather than presenting them as neutral.
Women thinkers, activists, and scientists have consistently used reasoned argument to challenge discriminatory laws and norms, even when their work was dismissed or attributed to male colleagues.
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