Reasonable
Reasonable describes what is supported by good reasons, fits the evidence, or shows sound judgment. The term is common in philosophy, argument, and everyday moral evaluation.
At a Glance
Reasonable refers to supported by good reasons, proportionate judgment, or sound practical judgment.
Key Points
- Category: philosophical concept.
- Touches questions of reality, knowledge, morality, or human personhood.
- Useful only when disciplined by Scripture and clear definitions.
Description
Reasonable is a broad evaluative term for what appears supported by adequate reasons, consistent with the available evidence, or marked by balanced practical judgment. It can describe beliefs, arguments, expectations, interpretations, decisions, or behavior. In philosophical and apologetic discussion, calling a claim reasonable usually means it is not irrational, careless, or groundless, though it may not imply absolute certainty. From a conservative Christian worldview, reason is a genuine gift of God and has a proper role in understanding the world, weighing arguments, and commending the faith; yet human reason is finite and affected by sin, so what seems reasonable to people must not be treated as the final standard over divine revelation.
Theological Significance
Theologically, the term matters because doctrinal claims inevitably interact with underlying assumptions about being, knowledge, causation, personhood, or value. Clear definitions help expose those assumptions rather than leaving them hidden.
Philosophical Explanation
Philosophically, Reasonable concerns supported by good reasons, proportionate judgment, or sound practical judgment. As a category it can expose assumptions about reality, knowledge, morality, language, or human existence, but Christian use must refuse to let the category define truth apart from Scripture.
Interpretive Cautions
Do not allow abstraction to outrun revelation. Conceptual analysis can sharpen thought, but it can also mislead when terms are left vague, absolutized, or detached from scriptural truth.
Practical Significance
In practice, this term helps readers recognize the assumptions carried by arguments about God, the world, morality, and human life.
Related Entries
- Epistemology
- Knowledge
- Belief
- Warrant
- Truth-bearers