Irrationality (Polity Key Concepts in Philosophy) by Lisa Bortolotti (10-Oct-2014) Paperback

Key Concepts in Philosophy (Polity)

by Lisa Bortolotti

We talk about irrationality when behaviour defies explanation or prediction, when decisions are driven by emotions or instinct rather than by reflection, when reasoning fails to conform to basic principles of logic and probability, and when beliefs lack coherence or empirical support. Depending on the context, agents exhibiting irrational behaviour may be described as foolish, ignorant, unwise or even insane.In this clear and engaging introduction to current debates on irrationality, Lisa Bortolotti presents the many facets of the concept and offers an original account of the importance of judgements of irrationality as value judgements. The book examines the standards against which we measure human behaviour, and reviews the often serious implications of judgements of irrationality for ethics and policy. Bortolotti argues that we should adopt a more critical stance towards accepted standards of rationality in the light of the often surprising outcomes of philosophical inquiry and cognitive science research into decision making. "Irrationality" is an accessible guide to the concept and will be essential reading for students and scholars interested in the limitations of human cognition and human agency.

Genres: Philosophy, Science, Psychology

Unknown Binding

First published November 10, 2014

About the author

I am Professor of Philosophy at the University of Birmingham.

My main research area is the philosophy of cognitive science, and in my work I have mostly focused on the limitations of human cognition and human agency including faulty reasoning, delusions, confabulations, irrational beliefs, poor knowledge of the self, distorted memories, unreliable self narratives, self deception, implicit bias, inconsistencies between attitudes and behaviour, unrealistic optimism and positive illusions.

I am also interested in the relationship between science and society and in the ethical issues emerging from biomedical research, psychiatry, reproduction, parenting, and the treatment of nonhuman animals.

I currently lead a 5-year project on Pragmatic and Epistemic Role of Factually Erroneous Cognitions and Thoughts (PERFECT), funded by a European Research Council Consolidator Grant (2014-2019).

My latest book is Irrationality (Polity Press, 2014). I am currently writing a new research monograph provisionally entitled The Epistemic Innocence of Imperfect Cognitions.

Reviews

[Daniel · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a solid review of the current debates surrounding the irrationality/rationality distinction. The writing could use a little work but, in all, I'm glad I read it. Bortolotti divides the short book into four main chapters, one each on interpretation, mental health, freedom, and the world. The first deals largely with Davidson and Dennett, the second is a response to, in part, the criticisms of the anti-psychiatry movement while the other two chapters are on the difference between scientific knowledge and everyday action. Throughout, Bortolotti argues that clear distinctions between rationality and emotion, irrationality and mental health, as well as rationality and failure are too simplistic. Studies show that human beings don't consistently reason according to logical laws and often confabulate reasons or explanations after acting or making a decision.

Now, I know this probably wouldn't fit in a more scientifically minded overview but I would have liked a treatment, however sparse, of movements that endorse irrationality to some extent - dada or surrealism, for example.