Photo source: Wikimedia Commons, Moritz Nahr
What does it mean to think? I have three definitions:
1. Think is to attempt to use one's mind rationally
2. Think is to focus one's attention on something
3. Think is to tentatively believeThe rest of this post is an explanation of each definition.
1. Think is to attempt to use the mind rationally
I believe that a person is thinking whenever they use reason, logic or intuition. It doesn't matter whether or not they were correct; what matters is if they attempted to make the right conclusion. When somebody acts impulsively or blindly, they are not thinking.
2. Think is to focus one's attention on something
Sometimes when a person thinks, they are not trying to make a decision or form a belief. Instead they are simply aiming their attention at something. For example, if somebody says, "Think of the last time you went to a restaurant" they are asking you to reflect on a past event. Another example, if a person says "I'm thinking about this cup of coffee" they are simply aiming their attention at that object.
3. Think is to tentatively believe
I believe that 'think' is used to express a belief that a person is not sure about. For example, if somebody says, "I think the class will be difficult" they are stating an uncertain belief. In this regard, 'think' is a weaker version of 'believe'.
License: CC BY-SA 4.0
