Brainstorm

[Excited Penguin]

Here's the definition I was using:

rationalist - someone who believes that ideas and actions should be based on practical reasons and knowledge, rather than on emotions or religious beliefs

Do you still not consider yourself a rationalist, even by that definition? Do you perhaps think some ideas and actions should be based on emotions or religious beliefs? Could you give me any examples of such?

I don't know. Do you think I am? I guess I'd have to say I'm a half-rationalist. Not on religious beliefs, no, but on emotion yes. Intuition is one... that's relying on the 'fuzzy logic' of the brain... the ability to be informed that something doesn't quite fit the stored pattern. Stereotyping is an amazing ability of the brain and without it you wouldn't be able to infer that a lion could attack you if all you'd seen was a tiger. Bias, again allows for quick decisions and points you in the right direction... constraining the 'search space'. Emotions summarise activity over a wide area, and act as instant but non-specific indicators that there's something to be concerned about. Obviously these things can be put to good or bad use, but as features of the brain's working they are incredible, and we wouldn't be where we are and what we are without them. The important thing, I think, is understanding these mechanisms and being mindful of them and knowing whether they're being put to good or bad use, and using rationality to correct them if it's the latter case.

You just described yourself as a rationalist. Everyone is a rationalist, to some extent. It matters however whether you really think of yourself as such or not - it can say a ton about you.