“Reasoned discourse is the mind’s representation of the Way” appears in Xunzi’s Correct Naming. Here, “representation” means giving form to something, while the Way refers to an intelligible order. In discussing names, objects, knowledge and speech, Xunzi argues that what the mind understands must be made evident through ordered explanation.
The sentence does not praise clever disputation. Speech that dazzles with terms while obscuring its subject fails the test. Its restrained modern value is clear: feeling that we understand is not enough. Explaining our reasons so that others can examine the concepts and inferences tests whether understanding has actually taken shape.
https://ctext.org/xunzi/zheng-ming/ens
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