BleaK said:

i dont think that i think of rationality as an end.
in fact my troubles come from trying to use it as a means.
it continually fails miserably.

---

Maybe you're just not very good at it.

BleaK said:

rationality is either a sick joke, or a huuuge mistake.
if life has a meaning and no one told me, its a sick fucking joke.
if it doesnt, then having rationality is a huuuuge mistake.
im tired.

---

Would it still be, if you play the joke on yourself?

Quote:

When one's ethical premises are structured on a malevolent or contradictory base, one's actions will naturally be detrimental to oneself or others. This is because an action based on a belief or premise in a particular cause-effect relationship will not occur if that relationship is invalid or contradictory.
Likewise, when one's ethical premises are structured on a benevolent and consistent base, one's actions will naturally be harmonious to oneself and others. This is because an action based on a premise in a particular cause-effect relationship will occur when that relationship is valid or congruent with nature.

---

BAM!

You just captured there the essence of what I was breaking it down too. The thing is, who doesn't rationalize most of the time. We'd be dead or in jail if we didn't.

Yes, it is vital for our survival. Thats a given to me.

I think what needs more emphasise is not how to rationalize but an examination of the core ethics one reasons with.

Like I said, I can legitimately rationalize some pretty heinous destructive acts just on the dictionary definition of the word rational alone.

It itself is not the key to anything aspiring. But of course, with an aspiring ethical base seeking common good will for all, then rational just naturally follows, just as it would naturally follow the thinking processes of one who aspired world domination through oppression.

Until someone contributes the grounding ethics of one rational, rational itself doesn't mean much.

Sometimes I think the word itself gets gold plated. That can be a danger in disguise. If people get all caught up in beleiving that rational thinking is always the correct way to think, they may start to loose sight of what its being applied to. If so they may use logic to follow that believing "if something can be rationalized then it must be ethically correct or justified action to take." Thats not always the case. Sometimes it is.

I'm just raising awareness in general for people to think more deeply on such things. The ethics rationalization is being applied to is important.

I would rather see humans irrationally or non rationally marrying  toads believing they are soul mates then someone using rationality based on a different code of ethics from mine to plan and justify an attack like 9/11.

In short, the words rational and irrational alone don't mean much until you learn the nature of the acts the thought processes are being applied too. I hope I am being understood correctly.