Promoting Rationality
Rationality often has a bad reputation for being "hyper-analytical" or "too cold". Many people think that they and others don't need rationality. I think that this way of thinking is not only wrong, but dangerous, and I wish to dispel many of the misconceptions that surround this immense topic.
The two main forms of rationality I will probably focus on are instrumental and epistemic rationality. Instrumental rationality is used when the user wants to determine what course of action, if any, will prove most beneficial to them, whatever their ends are. This can include ethical, economic, and many more types of decisions. Epistemic rationality deals with discoveries about the universe and (maybe) beyond. The best course of action for figuring out how to learn about biology or astronomy would fall under epistemic rationality. I believe that instrumental rationality often necessitates epistemic rationality.
Critical Thinking
Critical thinking has recently found a place in many politicians' speeches about education and public policy. People think of critical thinking as a good thing, generally. They do not, however, always actually understand or convey what it truly is.
Critical thinking, though distinct from rationality, falls within the category of rationality. I wish to promote the objective consideration of issues and the formation of opinions or positions as free of bad biases and as honest as possible. This is what critical thinking is in a nutshell. It is not necessarily the same thing as questioning or disbelieving everything.
Science
Science is the best way we humans currently possess to understand the physical and natural world and the laws by which it is governed. Like its parent category rationality, science can often have the appearance to outsiders of being dry, cold, and even unnecessary; however, both of these accounts are incorrect. I believe that science is both a fascinating and integral part of humanity's evolution, and, more importantly, thousands and millions of other individuals do as well–and have made the world a better place for it!
Science is not, as many people know, simply a list of facts that one must memorize. It is also not, as fewer people may know, a set method that always follows the same formulas or algorithms. Psychologists and astronomers do not employ the same methods to make their discoveries because their subjects of study are vastly different. The important parts across scientific disciplines are consistency, logic, empirical observations of nature, and ways to control for biases and to make self-corrections. These are the major scientific values that I would like to get across in this blog.
Philosophy
Though a daughter category of rationality, philosophy is what spawned basically all other rational subcategories itself. Today, however, it is distinct from the others. Philosophy has almost the opposite problem in perception than that which science and its parent category rationality have. A perception that philosophy is useless fuzzy thinking has somewhat permeated parts of the public and parts of academia alike. This could not be further from the truth.
Philosophy is, in major ways, a form of meta-cognition, or thinking about thinking. It questions the very possibility of human understanding and finds it possible but lacking. Philosophy brings the bases for science and logic to bear and lets them loose on their respective areas of consideration. It allows for coherent ethical systems to develop and can often bring about major revolutions in ways of thinking. It can even let people find meaning in their lives despite the absence of any possibility of objective meaning separate. Philosophy, as we can see, is far from useless, and I wish to promote its good aspects in this blog.
Promoting Learning
I think that learning is one of the best ways humans can achieve flourishing as long as it's done well. I hope to keep learning my whole life and to encourage others to do the same, and if I can help people do that by writing this blog, then part of my goal will be achieved.
Promoting Teaching
In addition to learning, I hope to encourage people to get out and help spread the words of rationality and intellect. I'm not hoping to get people into preaching or mindless proselytizing, but if people as passionate as I am about these topics decide to at least present the opportunity to let others find the same enjoyment due to my writing, then another part of my goal will be achieved.
