Single Idea 23743

[catalogued under 18. Thought / A. Modes of Thought / 5. Rationality / a. Rationality]

Full Idea

It would be a superhuman task just to write down an explicit, non-summary style, statement of the platitudes that capture our idea of what it is to be fully rational.

Gist of Idea

Capturing all the common sense facts about rationality is almost impossible

Source

Michael Smith (The Moral Problem [1994], 5.9)

Book Reference

Smith,Michael: 'The Moral Problem' [Blackwell 1994], p.163


A Reaction

Well said. Philosophers are inclined to make simplistic binary judgements about whether persons or animals are rational. A visit to YouTube will show fish acting extremely rationally.

Related Idea

Idea 22 Trained minds never expect more precision than is possible [Aristotle]