different between arationality vs arational

English

Etymology

arational +? -ity

Noun

arationality (uncountable)

1. (philosophy, sciences) The state or characteristic of being arational, of being outside the domain of reason.
   • 1946, G. A. Borgese, "Literary Criticism in Italy during the Romantic Period," Italica, vol. 23, no. 2, p. 70:

     Croce's early treatise . . . was resolutely grounded in the identification of intuition and expression, of genius and taste, and in the amorality and arationality of all art.

   • 1962, L. S. Lewis and J. Lopreato, "Arationality, Ignorance, and Perceived Danger in Medical Practices," American Sociological Review, vol. 27, no. 4, p. 513:

     Thus there appears to be very little doubt that arationality is one manifestation of stress which arises when goal-seeking man is confronted with conditions which becloud the outcome of his actions.

   • 2004, David Sosa, "A Big, Good Thing" (review of T.M. Scanlon's What We Owe to Each Other), Noûs, vol. 38, no. 2, p. 366:

     This sort of view contrasts with a more ‘‘Humean’’ account that gives greater weight to the need for, to the relevance of, and to the fundamental arationality of desires. . . . [R]easons cannot by themselves provide adequate motivation for action.

Synonyms

• non-rationality

Translations

English

Etymology

From a- +? rational.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /e???a?(?)n?l/

Adjective

arational (comparative more arational, superlative most arational)

1. (chiefly philosophy) Not within the domain of what can be understood or analyzed by reason; not rational, outside the competence of the rules of reason. [from 20th c.]
   • 1938, Marten Ten Hoor, "The Philistines over Philosophy," The Journal of Philosophy, vol. 35, no. 20, p. 542:

     If the end-product of a man's philosophizing about the nature of the cosmos is the ultimate, arational matter, this will affect his moral opinion of the cosmos.

   • 1974, Ervin Laszlo, "Why Should I Believe in Science?" Philosophy and Phenomenological Research, vol. 34, no. 4, p. 484:

     Scientific knowledge is conceptual, rational, and testable. Mystical knowledge is usually aconceptual, arational, and does not lend itself to interpersonal testing.

   • 1996, David Foster Wallace, Infinite Jest, Abacus 2013, p. 146:

     Regarded with the objectivity of hindsight, the illusion appears arational, almost fantastic: it would be like being able both to lie and to trust other people at the same time.

   • 2001, Ronald De Sousa, "Moral Emotions," Ethical Theory and Moral Practice, vol. 4, no. 2, p. 109:

     On the first view, emotions are purely biological phenomena. . . . They are arational and amoral, like other natural bodily functions.

Synonyms

• non-rational

Related terms

Translations

German

Etymology

a- +? rational.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [?a?at?si?o?na?l]
• Hyphenation: ara?ti?o?nal

Adjective

arational (not comparable)

1. arational

Declension

Further reading

• “arational” in Duden online