Hyperrationalism Bias

The fallacy that pure reason is the only valid tool to dissect any subject, including profound moral evils. It assumes one can and should debate the "logic" of racism, the "economic efficiency" of slavery, or the "rational merits" of genocide in a detached, clinical way, as if they were abstract puzzles. This bias mistakes the application of rationality for moral intelligence, and often serves to sanitize horror.

Example: A forum hosting a "rational debate" on the Holocaust where participants are instructed to "set aside emotions" and argue only from "statistical and strategic premises" about Nazi efficiency. The hyperrationalism bias creates a morally monstrous space where the form of rational discourse is used to eviscerate its ethical content.

by Dumu The Void February 9, 2026