Why Rationality? The Growth and Normativity of Rationality

Rationality is not merely an objective science but is a normative project. It seeks to make changes in people and society. But it has undergone steady abuse over the millennia, with reviling detractors and seemingly constant misunderstandings. But at the same time we do not know if the campaigns, no matter how little we know of the outcomes, can be guaranteed positive. So detractors do have a point. Rationality given via the 12 precepts and receiving strong philosophical support appears to have endangered life on Earth. Should we indeed keep loaning it more chances? This chapter offers it further support but also gives ear to the skeptics.