Re: virus: Incredulity

Corey A. Cook (cookcore@esuvm.emporia.edu)
Thu, 13 Mar 1997 18:23:29 -0800


Someone wrote:
>Not at all. But one has to admit that one has faith in rationality.

Someone else replied:
>Absolutely not. Belief in the virtues of rationality is not without
>good evidence. And nothing is beyond criticism, including rationality.
>There is no faith involved.

And Loki asked:
>What criterion does one use to determine if rationality has virtues --
>regardless of what one thinks of the evidence in question? What meta-system
>does one use to critique rationality? Induction?

Simple observation will show that rationality has one major bonus over
irrationality: since the thought process is consious, one can track the
process and verify each step. But irrationality has the advantage of speed.
(It doesn't take as long to reach a conclusion, because there isn't as much
self-analysis.) I think.

Corey A. Cook
cookcore@esuvm.emporia.edu

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* When you think about it, sanity is a one-trick *
* horse. It only has one trick: rational thought. *
* But when you're crazy, the sky's the limit!" *
* --The Tick *
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