Superstitions and Rationality

This chapter explores the nature of human rationalityRationality/irrationality and how this concept has been brought historically to perspectives of superstition. Scales and measuresScales and measurements (of superstitious belief) of superstition, developed in the previous half century and the recognition that culture plays a part in their design, represent a desire to scientifically establish how individuals differ with respect to superstitious beliefs. However, these efforts do not seem to have brought us closer to practical applications in the improvement of decision makingDecision making by overcoming superstition as one factor associated with the concept of bounded realityBounded reality. Some direction from scholarly work on scepticismScepticism/sceptics is brought to the discussion of the rationalityRationality/irrationality/irrationalityRationality/irrationality of superstitious belief and the notions of subjectivitySubjectivity, intuitionIntuition and objectivityObjectivity in decision makingDecision making are likewise considered. The conceptual polarising bifurcation of rationalityRationality/irrationality and irrationalityRationality/irrationality appears to be an oversimplification, particularly given the persistent capacity of individuals to embrace both rationalityRationality/irrationality and empiricismEmpiricism with superstitious beliefs simultaneously. However, even highly educated professionals choose not to self-discloseSelf-disclosure superstitious beliefs at work and perhaps for good reason given that since the EnlightenmentEnlightenment, the superstitious have been described in pejorative terms. These issues concerned with superstition and rationalityRationality/irrationality and attendant constructs are investigated and critiqued with the presentation of counter arguments that seek to discredit the unquestioned ascendancy of empiricismEmpiricism and the consequent decline and eradication of superstition.