The Irrationality of Being "Rational"

—— On Rationality as a Dynamic Concept and Its Inherent Limits ——

In contemporary society, terms like "rational judgment" and "rational systems" are frequently invoked as if they point toward an absolute, singular truth. However, the concept of "rationality" is far more elusive, complex, and inherently limited than is commonly acknowledged.

1. The Multiplicity and Limitation of Rationality

When the command "be rational" is issued, it often carries the unconscious assumption that a universal "correct answer" exists. Yet, the reality of structural complexity is rarely so simple.

For any given event, as many "rationalities" exist as there are observers:
● Managerial Rationality: Decisions based on organizational evaluation systems and short-term performance within a fixed tenure.
● Operational Rationality: Decisions prioritizing the sustainability of practical workflows and individual skill acquisition.
● Organizational Rationality: Decisions based on the collective probability of survival and accountability to external stakeholders.

Each of these is profoundly rational within its own "limited perspective." However, what is rational from one viewpoint is frequently irrational from another. Thus, rationality is always a bounded concept, dependent on specific sets of premises and conditions.

2. Rationality as a Dynamic Concept

What further complicates rationality is its nature as a "dynamic concept" that shifts over time.

As circumstances evolve and new information emerges, yesterday’s optimal solution can instantly become a relic of the past. A "local optimization" at one moment may, over time, distort the broader "global" structure. Grasping the full scope of these temporal shifts and the interplay between parts and the whole is a feat that lies beyond the threshold of human cognitive capacity—in the realm of true complex systems.

3. The Risks Inherent in the "Rational" Label

If rationality is inherently pluralistic and fluid, then the hasty attempt to build "rational systems" carries its own form of irrationality.

By fixing a single person’s limited rationality at a specific moment as a "universal template," we strip away the capacity for adaptation and invite structural rigidity. Over-reliance on the label of "rationality" risks turning a blind eye to the vast chaos of variables beneath the surface, ultimately leading to intellectual stagnation.

Conclusion

To be truly rational does not mean chanting a specific set of answers. Rather, it means confronting how limited and dynamic rationality truly is, and maintaining an awareness that we exist within an environment (structure) of complexity that exceeds human intellect.

Questioning "what is rational" is not about walking along a pre-existing rail; it is about observing the ever-shifting "waves of structure" with a perpetually fresh and unclouded gaze.