On the Three Envoys of Thought: From Imagery-Analogy to Formal Law

This paper proposes a stratified model of thought, distinguishing three operative layers: thinking, deliberation, and reasoning. These correspond respectively to background mental flow, stepwise progression driven by imagery-analogy, and formal-law-based computation. It argues that deliberation is not the unfolding of formal logic, but a process grounded in imagery-analogy, enabling stepwise advancement through non-formalized domains. In contrast, reasoning operates upon sedimented formal laws, enabling rapid and precise judgment, yet remaining incapable of resolving cases beyond established formal structures. The paper further distinguishes between formal law and law of forms, locating them in different domains—namely the Self-Manifestation-Field and the instrument of reasoning—separated by the gate of phenomena. This framework offers a unified perspective on human cognition, artificial intelligence systems, and the limits of formal reasoning.