Do you believe that people, generally, are capable of rational thought?

[Writer]

If not, then why do you think that we place so much faith in ourselves to self-govern?


Discuss!

:popcorn: (because I need to take a shower :P)

[Deep13]

1. Capable? yes. Do they do it? not often.

I have no such faith. I just think it is more fair to have irrational democracy than to allow just one person or group to make irrational decisions without consulting the rest of us.

[skygazer]

2. I think most people tend to be rather irrational

in a lot of ways. Most people's thinking is pretty cluttered, not real logical and very emotional. But since I think that's rather the norm, it makes sense to me that we self-govern because I'd rather have it all hashed out between a bunch of irrational people who have to come to some compromises than have one irrational individual running the whole show.

[NMDemDist2]

3. what he/she said! n/t

[wildhorses]

4. i'd like a ration of that popcorn, please

:)

[billyskank]

5. Rational, yes, within limits

Human intellect is finite, and we are also a mass of prejudices, but I would not say that people are wholly irrational. There is a method to most people's madness.

[ThomCat]

6. Yes, but people are more capable of irrational thought.

:)

[Adsos Letter]

7. yes, until emotions intervene

which makes the whole exercise suspect. :D

Mornin' wildhorses :hi:

[Inchworm]

8. I think people are generally capable of rational thought.

Its a pretty deep question though :)

I mean, isn't it rational to get up in the morning and know you can't fly into the kitchen 3 feet off the floor flapping your arms? hehe

:silly:

[Joe Fields]

9. I would not be one to make a rational judgement on that question...

:hi:

[Deja Q]

10. Nope. That's why IT staff got paid so well...

until people could read cue cards and get paid 1/50th the salary and still deem it like hitting the jackpot before threatening the country that bestows upon them this wealth with trade sanctions... :crazy:

[Lil Missy]

11. It's "motive" behind the thought that concerns me a lot more.

People's rationale are driven by "motive", which is often based in prejudice, misinformation, and just plain evil. In other words, for example, those who hate blacks, mexicans, or gays, etc., make a "rational" decision to oppress and harm those populations. It's a "rational" choice "to them" if the goal is to oppress.

[Tyler Durden]

12. Generally? Of course not.

This is of course not a "Character Defect," in fact, most of the very religious people I know fail the test 24/7 the moment they say "I Believe" or "I Have Faith" as neither is a "rational" thought function.

As to "...faith in ourselves to self-govern...", this immediately fails the reason test by using the non-rational modifier "faith." This is not to say that "faith" is a bad thing all in itself: quite the opposite. Faith and Belief have STRONG positive components that uplift the species to heights not completely possible through logic and reason: it is their misuse in the support of mythology and dogma (not meant offensively: back away from the keyboard!) that they fail the interface with rational thought worst.

Non-rational thought is precisely what differentiates us from SOME of the animal kingdom. I am one of those people who KNOWS through their actions that at least some of the animal species I have come in contact with are capable of non-rational emotive mentation and action. This is the part of them which makes them our companions and competitors as opposed to "dumb animals" (some would argue this facet extends to any creature that is above the level of the insect: I will not argue that here); loyalty and self-sacrifice are obvious in the canines, self determination through observation in the feline.

Self governance has not yet proved itself, at least to me, to be either a survival trait or and attainable outgrowth of rational thought.

[Javaman]

13. Define rational thought?

is it a thought that makes sense because everyone agrees with it because it conforms to societies norms?

Or

Is it a thought that although is outside of societies norms makes sense by allowing all those involved to agree?

I'm just throwing this out there to stir the pot a little. LOL

[leftofthedial]

14. less and less so