" Why Should I Be Rational? "

Summary The prevalent view that a question expressed by the interrogative title must be absurd and in no need of a reasoned response (Geach, Peter Singer, Ayer) is rejected. Popper's contention that commitment to rationality (respect for reasons) has only an irrational basis is criticised. A preliminary attempt is made to resolve some genuine perplexities about the justification of rationality by invoking the notion of a “quasi-rationality”...