What is the role of thinking in Buddhism?

Practitioners and scholars from various schools of Buddhism differ a lot on how they view (conceptual) thinking. For example Tsongkhapa/Gelug put a lot of emphasis on thinking because it is vitally important to “identify the object of negation”, as Tsongkhapa would put it. (The object of negation Tibetan: dgag bya, eg. inherent existence, self-existence). On the other hand, Zen scholars and practitioners I have asked are more explicit in making the point that conceptual thinking is *in itself* a hindrance and “part of the problem”. - If there is a "goal" or "point" of conceptual thinking in Buddhism, what is that "goal/point"? - What are the biggest problems of either too much or too little thinking?