"Anyone can be rational. That doesn't mean you're not racist, sexist, bigoted, or stupid."

[lightningandsnow]

- My history professor



:applause:

[panader0]

1. I would say that rationality

and sexism, racism, bigotry and stupidity are mutually exclusive.

[lightningandsnow]

2. Everyone thinks they're rational.

Ever heard "scientific" defenses of racism or sexism?

[daleanime]

3. No....

there is a different between being and using. Hate to say it but your professor is mistaken.

[Echo In Light]

4. Appearances mean a great deal to those espousing/pitching biased views

[Fumesucker]

5. Man is not a rational animal..

But rather an animal that rationalizes.

True rationality comes incredibly hard to humans, there are a vast number of ways in which we fool ourselves.

[RaleighNCDUer]

6. I think what he means is, if a person holds a certain preconception,

he will use any kind of rational weighing of facts, holding those that fit the preconception and (in a reasoned, rational way) dismissing those that do not fit.

That is the Republican style of 'rational'. Start with the 'fact' and marshal your arguments to back up that fact. It does take a rational mind set to weigh the facts and decide which you want to dismiss or ignore.

Of course, rational people recognise that as rationalizing, not being rational.

[Echo In Light]

7. The defining framework of this in the US, imo, is reluctance to acknowledge a failed 2 party ruse

So obvious, so easy to connect the dots on since so much is done right out in the open (since vested interests can count upon deeply seated propaganda to dismiss the obvious) yet many cling fast to the belief that our elected reps actually represent the people, and not corporate pay masters.

[Rebubula]

8. Rational...

...is relative.

[DirkGently]

9. If you define "rational" as a strategy of optimal goal attainment

then you can act rationally and also unethically (or stupidly) if your goal is out of whack. You need reason (or another definition of rationality) to have sound goals in the first place.