Description
Book SynopsisWe 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.
Trade ReviewA welcome and timely addition to the philosophical and pedagogical literature. The book’s clarity of organization, scope of detail, and insights into the nature and liability of irrationality make this not only an excellent guide, but a first-rate book-length treatment of the subject.
George Graham, Georgia State University
Employing striking every day and literary examples, Lisa Bortolotti surveys live cross-disciplinary debates about the role of rational thought in mental health, decision-making, and expertise. Philosophers and psychologists are increasingly suspicious of the old dreams of reason, casting doubt on deliberation and analysis as effective guides to life. Bortolotti effectively demonstrates the complexity of relations between reflection and intuition, and points the way towards more dynamic conceptions of intelligent thought.
John Sutton, Macquarie University
Table of ContentsPREFACE
CHAPTER 1: BEHAVIOUR DEFYING INTERPRETATION
CHAPTER 2: BEHAVIOUR ATTRACTING A PSYCHIATRIC DIAGNOSIS
CHAPTER 3: UNREFLECTIVE CHOICES
CHAPTER 4: BELIEFS UNCONSTRAINED BY EVIDENCE
IRRATIONALITY: STILL A USEFUL CONCEPT?
BIBLIOGRAPHY
