What is a rationalist?

Well, right away you've gone about asking the wrong question in the wrong way. Which is itself sort of what rationality is about.

Rationality is the art of thinking. You know how anyone can pick up a pencil and scibble, but it takes skill and practice to draw or write? That there are techniques you can use to refine your natural ability to draw or write? Well, thinking works the same way. There are techniques you can use to think better, that is, be better able to get the right answers from the same information. A rationalist is therefore a lot like an artist or a writer; somebody who is really good at thinking in the right way. Like art or writing, this doesn't happen overnight.

Rationality is an art in that is must be refined by it's users, but it is also a science. The brain, and the things the brain interact with (ie reality) are shaped by concrete facts and determining these facts are key to being a better rationalist. Therefore, a rationalist must also, to a degree, be a scientist; one ready to accept and refine scientific knowledge and to use the scientific method to further their own abilities.

The most important thing about being a rationalist is learning how to think; establishing the patterns consistant in natural or socially ingrained throught (biases), then overcoming these biases when they interfer with your ability to determine facts. It might help to think of everyone as being crazy; it's not far from the truth, as people's biases act like mental blocks that can prevent them from seeing truth right in front of their face.

TL;DR Version : Rationality is Learning to Be Sane

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Post comment Comments  (0 - 10 of 89)
zangetsu
zangetsu - - 403 comments

In a Sci-fi universe would a weapon that uses plasma and hadron particles at the same time be possible

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Yuribeard7
Yuribeard7 - - 1,106 comments

*rationally random comment*

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IndieBase
IndieBase - - 117 comments

Hey guys, i made a video called "How I became an Atheist" and it's my first video, would love it if you could give it a watch :)

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#k
#k - - 886 comments

never mind this is the ultimate question to mankind's survival, what is the best government that will be able to prolong our existence, it has been proven that the only perfect society has been under absolute rulers such as Elizabeth and Caesar, but individuals don't live forever so that isn't an option, the longest lived government in history was the Roman republic/imperial republic, but that to succumbed to internal corruption, so what is the best type to insure our survival as a nation and a civilization

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Vurufarmacija
Vurufarmacija - - 661 comments

Human morality is the main flaw. Communism SHOULD be good,but it has a flaw:the human flaw.

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Galgus
Galgus - - 554 comments

Images4.wikia.nocookie.net

What exactly do you mean by "perfect society"?

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Yuribeard7
Yuribeard7 - - 1,106 comments

In theory it would be "Democratic Socialism". But in practice it still would not work because there is corruption in all forms of government and someone would try to use the fact that the gov't would be providing for us to their advantage and exploit it. In theory it has many benefits, but in practice they do not outweigh the risks. So, to answer your question; There is no "best" because they are all equally vulnerable to twisting and corruption. Ancient Israel had it right though. Under a righteous king (righteous meaning justice and what is right) they flourished and were greatly feared throughout the world of the time. That would not work now of course because of the previously mentioned corruption.

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#k
#k - - 886 comments

here is the biggest question that still exists in modern life

Is there a god? How did the big bang happen? Was it just a random act of space and time, or was it the work of a diety? Anything real needs a beginning, but so does god, so what is the answer to the all consuming question, how did it all begin?

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CommanderDG
CommanderDG - - 1,389 comments

Read Michio Kaku book; hyperspace and Stephen Hawking book; A brief history of time. In short, M-theory doesn't require a divinity to exist. It doesn't mean there isn't any, simply that not a requirement for the creation of the universe. About how it been created, the only thing I recall is, there had symmetry between all dimension and then for some unknown reason, the 5 to the 11th(or 26th you have to read the book to understand what I mean by that ) suddenly shrunk and then there was the creation of a singularity. However it was imperfect and it eventually destroyed itself and then there was the event we call the Big-Bang.

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Yuribeard7
Yuribeard7 - - 1,106 comments

Yes there is and He has no beginning nor did He need one. There are many things that are beyond human comprehension and that is one of them. Logic and rationalization doesn't always work because many things in existence are actually quite illogical and irrational. We just have to learn to accept that and live with the fact that things like that will ALWAYS be beyond our understanding. I think it makes things more interesting. Life would be boring if we knew and understood everything right? :)

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CommanderDG
CommanderDG - - 1,389 comments

I see your are somewhat my opposite, which is a good thing(not very religious versus religious). Although, why is there a god? in your opinion I mean.
Additionally, I don't think there is any knowledge beyond our border. Anything which is allowed by the law of physics, is achievable, with time.
Although, you are correct. Life without purpose is boring.

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Yuribeard7
Yuribeard7 - - 1,106 comments

I don't know why God exists and I think the answer doesn't really matter. Its not like we would comprehend the reason anyway. It may not be scientifically possible to prove He exists using the laws of physics because He exists outside of our plane of existence and subsequent dimension and universe that reside within that plane. It is written that "not even the heavens and heaven of heavens can contain Him". Heavens of course meaning the universe. What "heaven of heavens" means I can only speculate. It probably means the same thing as dimension and plane but it could also mean something else beyond even that. I just don't know and that is something we probably could never know or understand in our current state. Remember that the laws of physics are still mostly theories we have yet to really prove outside of simulations designed to operate under the assumption that they are correct. Off the top of my head the only one we have really proven are the very basic simple laws of gravity, motion and transfer of energy. There are probably some more but I can't remember right now. We actually know next to nothing in the grand scheme of things and know very little of what we claim to do know. This is why we have faith and why through faith we gain some understanding and communication. You would be surprised at the number of frequent conversations we have with God. I don't just mean prayer I mean actual conversations like you would have with another person standing in the same room as yourself. You would also be surprised at the things we learn from Him when He reveals the meanings of some things to us. He may even reveal to us whether or not we are alone. Eventually. What I'm personally interested in is how extraterrestrials (if they exist) would fit into His plan. I'd like to think they may even know of Him and may even understand more about Him than we do. That's why I'll be one of the many people excited over any discovery we make concerning life out there.

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CommanderDG
CommanderDG - - 1,389 comments

Very true. But then again, why would there be a god if there is no need for one? What make his existence possible? Of course we have a limited range of the spectrum of things we know and even a smaller range of things we can prove with total certainty, although, if we can't prove with total certainty something directly involved in our planet or universe, why would I bother to believe in something which I cannot have any concrete proof?

Just a little side note, I don't believe really in a religion despite I am a baptized christian. I think some of the morals in the bible are excellent. However, in my head they are still tales. Although, that doesn't mean I disrespect those who do believe in a religion neither that there isn't necessary a creator or a higher power of sorts. However, I have yet to find a religion or a belief that would overcome my doubts or convince me otherwise regarding the presence of a "God".

Also, I apologize. I didn't meant to offend you by saying religious.

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Yuribeard7
Yuribeard7 - - 1,106 comments

Oh you didn't offend me so don't worry. "Religious" is just a word to me and nothing more.

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Yuribeard7
Yuribeard7 - - 1,106 comments

"Religious" is such an overused term. I'm not really religious I'm in a relationship. Huge difference.

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CommanderDG
CommanderDG - - 1,389 comments

*beyond our reach.

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