Greek rationalism and its philosophical foundations

Greek Rationalism

The ancient Greeks pioneered philosophical rationalism, the practice of critically examining thoughts, ideas, and facts while discounting the importance of religious faith or emotionalism. A predecessor of hard science, rationalism underlies much of what we now call "Western Civilization." Rationalism implies that the powers of reason are sufficient to give human beings an understanding of the universe. Anything superstitious or fanatical would be anathema to the rationalist. Although a person can simultaneously believe in God and be a rationalist, in general, rationalism and religion propose conflicting worldviews. In fact, religion and rationalism often coexist peacefully in many parts of the modern world. For example, in religious countries like Italy, Ireland, Israel, and in some parts of the United States, people believe strongly in the tenets of their faith. However, in general religion remains separate from science. Rationalism dominates the worldview of most people in the modern world, at least in Europe and North America, even in the presence of vibrant religious or spiritual communities

In spite of the prevalence of rationalism, though, some superstitions and emotionally-charged beliefs persist in the modern world. For example, any time a person takes the Eucharist in a Catholic Church, he or she is not acting rationally. The belief that wine and bread are the blood and body of Christ is a religious and an emotional, but not a rational thought. Furthermore, many people act irrationally even when they are not religious. Gambling is inherently irrational, because most gambling odds are outrageous. Similarly, people in romantic relationships often think and act irrationally. Feeling jealous, for instance, is not always rational.

Therefore, the human being is not capable of being entirely rational. While we may employ our "higher" brain functions when thinking about science or when brainstorming ideas, at some point emotions and sentiment come into play. For example, when we ride a roller coaster at the fair we are engaging in an activity that has no rational foundation but instead is an expression of pure fun and pleasure. In fact, the world would be a boring place if rationalism was the only philosophical doctrine in the human consciousness.

Rationalism is an effective and compelling philosophy because it allows people to make informed decisions based on fact and observation rather than on basic instincts or feelings. Many conflicts between human beings or between civilizations could be resolved through rational discourse. On the other hand, rationalism is not enough to eliminate all human strife. Two equally powerful rationalist doctrines can promote a healthy yet heated debate between differing points-of-view. Moreover, a strict rationalism overlooks important humanitarian issues and ethics. For instance, capitalism is an essentially rational state of affairs. Because capitalism is so rational, though, capitalists often overlook ethics for the pursuit of profit.