arguing; deducing inferences from premises; debating; discussing.

The act or process of exercising the faculty of reason; that act or operation of the mind by which new or unknown propositions are deduced from previous ones which are known and evident, or which are admitted or supposed for the sake of argument; argumentation; ratiocination; as fair reasoning; false reasoning; absurd reasoning; strong or weak reasoning. The reasonings of the advocate appeared to the court conclusive.