Rationality

Rationality refers to the quality or state of being rational – that is, being based on or agreeable to reason. Rationality implies the conformity of one's beliefs with one's reasons to believe, and of one's actions with one's reasons for action.

Definition

The term "rationality" has different specialized meanings in philosophy, economics, sociology, and cognitive science. In philosophy, rationality is the characteristic of any action, belief, or desire, that is amenable to rational scrutiny. In economics, rationality is often used to assume that an individual behaves as if balancing costs against benefits to reach satisfaction. In sociology, rationality can mean the degree to which action is congruent with clear-headed actions that are grounded in reason and fact.

Types of Rationality

There are different types of rationality, including:

• Instrumental and value rationality: Instrumental rationality is the optimization of the individual's goal achievement given the resources available. Value rationality is the optimization of the individual's ethics.

• Epistemic and instrumental rationality: Epistemic rationality involves the consistent update of beliefs, while instrumental rationality involves the optimization of resources to achieve a certain end.

Rationality and Society

Rationality plays a key role in society and is a central concept in modern debates in the field of social sciences.

See Also

• Cognitive bias
• Decision theory
• Game theory
• Rational choice theory
• Rationalism

References

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  Max Weber 1919