I get the point of view that we should be forthright about our goals, practices, and community affiliations. Nothing wrong with using a label to cultivate a sense of belonging. After all, Christians call themselves after their ideal of perfection, so why shouldn’t we?
I think part of the reason is that just about everybody wants to be rational. Not everybody wants to be a guitarist, Christian, perfectionist, or idealist.
Also, most groups have some way of telling whether somebody’s “doing the thing” or not. Catholics have the sacrament and you have to call him Jesus, not Frank. Guitarists practice or have chops. Just about everybody tries to think rationally from time to time, even if they fail, so what’s the thing that somebody would have to do to not be a rationalist?
Why don’t we call ourselves epistemologists. At least it’s one syllable shorter than “aspiring rationalist.” Plus, it comes with the implication that we’re interested in rational thought, not experts at doing it.
Funnily enough, I feel more trepidation about referring to myself as an epistemologist than as a “rationalist.” I think it sounds too much like a professional title. But heck, I’m an author even though I’ve never published a book. I’m a musician even though I don’t play professionally. Why can’t I be an epistemologist?
I get the point of view that we should be forthright about our goals, practices, and community affiliations. Nothing wrong with using a label to cultivate a sense of belonging. After all, Christians call themselves after their ideal of perfection, so why shouldn’t we?
I think part of the reason is that just about everybody wants to be rational. Not everybody wants to be a guitarist, Christian, perfectionist, or idealist.
Also, most groups have some way of telling whether somebody’s “doing the thing” or not. Catholics have the sacrament and you have to call him Jesus, not Frank. Guitarists practice or have chops. Just about everybody tries to think rationally from time to time, even if they fail, so what’s the thing that somebody would have to do to not be a rationalist?
Why don’t we call ourselves epistemologists. At least it’s one syllable shorter than “aspiring rationalist.” Plus, it comes with the implication that we’re interested in rational thought, not experts at doing it.
Funnily enough, I feel more trepidation about referring to myself as an epistemologist than as a “rationalist.” I think it sounds too much like a professional title. But heck, I’m an author even though I’ve never published a book. I’m a musician even though I don’t play professionally. Why can’t I be an epistemologist?