From: Daniel Fabulich (daniel.fabulich@yale.edu)
Date: Sun Jun 28 1998 - 13:27:55 MDT
On Sun, 28 Jun 1998, Bryan Moss wrote:
> If your ethical system is based of rationality, do
> you extend "utility" to include those who are
> irrational or only other rational persons? Would
> it be logical for utilitarianism to include only
> utilitarians?
I think we have to include everybody, since there's no easy way to figure
out who's who.
> Sorry, I think I may have said that wrong. I do
> not mean that rationality is not right, but that
> the "right" theory may not be the most rational
> choice. So that the "wrong" theory may be a
> rational choice.
I don't think I understand what you mean. If the "wrong" theory is a
rational choice, then we have an example where rationality has led us to
an incorrect conclusion. Rationality can never declare itself wrong,
however, so in order to evaluate it as "wrong" we would have to use some
*other* criteria for evaluating right and wrong besides reason. Any way
you slice this, it's at least non-rational, if not irrational.
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