Practical and Theoretical Rationality: A Comparative Study

[RG # 128] Practical and Theoretical Rationality: A Comparative Study

Organizer:

Ruth Weintraub (Tel-Aviv University)

Theoretical and practical rationality are concerned with reasons, and aim to respond to normative questions: "What ought one to believe?" and "What should one do?". Theoretical rationality answers its questions by assessing and weighing reasons for beliefe and the (internal) relations among the beliefs. Arguably, theoretical reason aims at the truth of propositions. Accordingly, reasons for belief are considerations that speak in favour of propositions being worthy of acceptance insofar as one's aim in belief is the truth.

The reasons which practical rationality invokes are considerations that speak in favour of performing particular actions or adopting particular intentions and ends. And the internal relationships it appeals to are thos between means and ends on the one hand, and intentions and actions on the other.

Philosophers have always studied theoretical and practical rationality, and both topics continue to present vexing and philosophically significant questions. Many suggestive comparisons and distinctions between the two can be found in the philosophical literature. However, these insights are usually random and piecemeal; a sustained study of the relationships and differences between the two kinds of rationality is rarely conducted. Our aim is to study the similarities and differences between the two areas in a systematic way, so as to apply insights gleaned from one realm to the other, and gain a better understanding of the relationship between them and of the nature of reason in general.

2011-2012 Research Groups 2011-2012 Social Sciences

Members

Hagit Benbaji

FELLOW

Ben-Gurion University

Hagit is a professor in the Department of Philosophy at Ben-Gurion University. Her research interests are philosophy of mind, metaphysics, and practical rationality.

David Enoch

FELLOW

The Hebrew University of Jerusalem

David is a professor in the Department of Philosophy and Faculty of Law at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem. His research interests are moral, political and legal philosophy, and epistemology.

Yuval Eylon

FELLOW

The Open University of Israel

Yuval is a professor in the Departments of History, Philosophy, and Judaic Studies at the Open University of Israel. His research interests are ethics, meta-ethics, political philosophy, and interpretation.

Jennifer Nagel

FELLOW

University of Toronto

Hagit is a professor in the Department of Philosophy at the University of Toronto. Her research interests are epistemology and metacognition.

Christian Piller

FELLOW

University of York

Christian is a professor in the Department of Philosophy at University of York, UK. His research interests are practical philosophy and epistemology.

James Pryor

FELLOW

New York University

James is a professor in the Department of Philosophy at New York University, USA. His research interests are epistemology and philosophy of language.

Levi Spectre

FELLOW

The Open University of Israel

Levi is a professor in the Departments of History, Philosophy, and Judaic Studies at the Open University of Israel. His research interests are traditional and formal epistemology.

Sergio Tenenbaum

FELLOW

University of Toronto

Sergio is a professor in the Department of Philosophy at University of Toronto, Canada. His research interests are ethics, practical reason, and Kant.

Michael Thompson

FELLOW

University of Pittsburgh

Michael is a professor in the Department of Philosophy at University of Pittsburg, USA. His research interests are ethics, philosophy of action, practical reason, history of ethics, political philosophy, and logic.

Ruth Weintraub

FELLOW

Tel Aviv University

Hagit is a professor in the Department of Philosophy at Tel Aviv University. Her research interests are epistemology, decision theory, paradoxes, and David Hume.

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