Single Idea 7171

[catalogued under 18. Thought / A. Modes of Thought / 5. Rationality / a. Rationality]

Full Idea

Thinking rationally is interpreting according to a scheme we cannot cast away.

Gist of Idea

Rationality is a scheme we cannot cast away

Source

Friedrich Nietzsche (Writings from Late Notebooks [1887], 05[22])

Book Reference

Nietzsche,Friedrich: 'Writings from the Late Notebooks', ed/tr. Bittner,Rüdiger [CUP 2003], p.110


A Reaction

We can turn the tables on this one: how could Nietzsche know that this is the case if he cannot criticise his own rationality? The brain is a truth machine, and truth is (mostly) vital for survival.