Is naturalism reasonable? In approaching this question let me assume, for the sake of discussion, that you are a scientific naturalist, and allow me to speak to you directly. As you have been reading this book your mind has been following an invariant sequence of cognitional acts. (1) You have attended to and experienced the words and sentences on each page. (2) Then you have tried to understand what I am saying, looking for something intelligible. You may or may not have found it so far, but I think you will agree that you have at least attempted to understand my ideas. (3) Finally, if you have understood anything so far, you have probably also asked whether my understanding is correct, or at least whether your own understanding of my ideas is accurate. In either case you have spontaneously subjected your understanding and mine to reflective, critical questioning. And your spirit of criticism may have led you to the judgment that I am either right or wrong.

So your mind has spontaneously unfolded in three distinct acts of cognition: experience, understanding and judgment.