virus: What does "rational" mean, anyway?

Reed Konsler (konsler@ascat.harvard.edu)
Tue, 18 Nov 1997 03:12:00 +0100


>Date: Sun, 16 Nov 1997 14:51:31 -0700
>From: David McFadzean <david@lucifer.com>
>
>At 12:13 AM 11/16/97 +0100, Reed Konsler wrote:
>
>>logical and rational to be synonyms. I thought that was significant, for
>>instance, becuase I don't think that logic, good, and truth are synonymous.
>>Just getting David to accept that as a possibility is like pulling teeth..
>
>What is the purpose of that particular simile?
>
>I not only accept the possibility, I don't think they are synonymous.
>(But don't let the facts stop you from getting in a jab :-) I do, however,
>think the concepts are closely inter-related. Perhaps that is what you
>mean by "synonymous"?

Hmm...OK. Look, when you first posted your definitions a week or
two ago my FIRST reaction was "Rational, reasonable, logical,
blah blah...all these words are still too vague. We might as well
say 'good and bad'". But, after a little more thought I figured that
an argument like that wouldn't lead to anything very interesting.
As a result I just, for purposes of the argument, assumed that we
all agreed that there was some "logico-rational thing"...a way of
thinking that we all understood to be inherent in mathematics,
science, etc. This combination of Logic, PCR, and other formal
systems was a fiat, if you will.

But, now that you bring it up, what is "rational" anyway? Where
does one learn how to do it? How can you tell when someone,
including yourself, is thinking rationally...as opposed to just
"rationalizing".

Reed

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Reed Konsler konsler@ascat.harvard.edu
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