Practical Reasoning and Rationality

[摘要] Theories of practical reasoning and rationality have been expounded at least as far back as the Greeks.Beginning with several historical perspectives, I attempt to answer the descriptive and normative questions of practical reasoning and rationality.I then turn to a popular modern attempt, expected utility theory.I conclude that this approach cannot be sustained because of inherent inconsistencies and its inability to generate advice for a class of problems that other decision procedures can handle.I conclude by offering support for a new model of practical reasoning, the practical argument model.I explain the three dimensions of normative assessment for this model: logical, inferential and epistemic.I then show how an expected utility decision-procedure is encompassed by the practical argument model and, therefore, subject to these three levels of assessment.I conclude by offering some directions for future research.

[发布机构] University of Waterloo

[效力级别] practical reasoning

[关键词] rationality;practical reasoning;Philosophy