Reasonism (similar to rationalism) is an epistemological
theory that holds that reliance on reason
is the best guide for belief and action.
Philosophically, it is the theory that the
exercise of reason, rather than experience,
authority, or spiritual revelation, provides
the primary basis for knowledge.
The term reasonist is used interchangeably
with rationalist, both terms being used to
distinguish them as true reasoners and rational
inquirers.
A number of writers and thinkers have used
the terms reasonist or reasonism to identify
themselves or their philosophy respectively,
often preferentially to the labels such as
atheist or atheism.
During the Beyond Belief Symposium (Enlightenment
2.0) in October 2007, UCLA historian Robert
Winter explains to speaker Sam Harris that
he refers to themselves (non-believers) as
"reasonists", and others (religionists) as
"areasonists", based on the historical fact
that the prefix a- is always supplied by those
who have the power within a given paradigm,
to describe those who don't have that paradigm.
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