The specific mode of calculated, instrumental thinking demanded by and rewarded within a controlled field. It is reason stripped of ethical, historical, or social context, focused solely on optimizing for the field's designated goals (e.g., efficiency, engagement, profit). To use Field Reason is to accept the field's premises and play by its rules.
Field Reason Example: A social media manager using field reason decides to post inflammatory content because the platform's algorithm rewards outrage with visibility. They are reasoning perfectly within the field's logic (maximize engagement metrics), while deliberately ignoring the broader social harm (polarization, spread of hate) their actions cause.
by Dumuabzu February 8, 2026
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