think

Think is a verb that denotes the act of forming ideas, beliefs, or opinions in the mind, and the process of using reasoning to reach conclusions or judgments. It also refers to deliberate contemplation or consideration of a problem or question. Think encompasses memory retrieval, planning, imagination, and evaluation.

Etymology: The word comes from Old English thencan or þencan, meaning to conceive, imagine, or intend. It is related to other Germanic forms and has developed through Middle English into its modern sense of forming thoughts and judgments.

In cognitive science and psychology, thinking covers a range of mental activities, including perception, memory, attention, language, and higher-order processes such as reasoning, problem solving, and decision making. Researchers distinguish automatic or intuitive processing from deliberate, reflective thinking, a distinction echoed in dual-process theories.

Philosophically, thinking raises questions about mental content, representation, and rational justification. The study of thought intersects with epistemology, philosophy of mind, and cognitive science, addressing how beliefs relate to truth and how mental states can be acquired or revised.

Usage notes: think often appears with about, of, or that to indicate consideration or belief (I think it's true). It can express supposition (I think perhaps) or intention (I thought to call). The related nouns thought and thinking appear commonly in discourse.

In technology, artificial intelligence and computer science simulate thinking through data processing, learning, and problem-solving. Debates continue about whether such processing constitutes genuine thinking or simply sophisticated computation.