Rational Fanaticism
An obsessive, uncritical devotion to rational argumentation, where the fanatic demands that every aspect of life—love, grief, art, faith—be justified rationally. Rational fanatics cannot accept that some domains are not amenable to rational proof and become distressed or angry when others operate outside their framework. They often try to “rationally explain” away emotions, personal experiences, or cultural practices, causing social friction and personal isolation. Their fanaticism for reason is itself irrational, as it refuses to recognize reason’s limits.
Example: “When she said she loved her dog, he asked for a rational justification—rational fanaticism, unable to accept that some truths are lived, not argued.”
Rational Fundamentalism
A rigid, literalist adherence to a specific model of rationality (e.g., Bayesian updating, rational choice theory) as the only legitimate way to form beliefs or make decisions. The rational fundamentalist treats deviations as errors rather than context‑appropriate adaptations, and they often hold that all people, regardless of culture or circumstance, should reason exactly the same way. They treat their model as a sacred text, ignoring critiques from bounded rationality, embodied cognition, or cross‑cultural psychology.
Example: “He insisted that the ‘rational actor’ model explained all human behavior—rational fundamentalism, ignoring decades of evidence that people don’t actually reason that way.”
Rational Fundamentalism
A rigid, literalist adherence to a specific model of rationality (e.g., Bayesian updating, rational choice theory) as the only legitimate way to form beliefs or make decisions. The rational fundamentalist treats deviations as errors rather than context‑appropriate adaptations, and they often hold that all people, regardless of culture or circumstance, should reason exactly the same way. They treat their model as a sacred text, ignoring critiques from bounded rationality, embodied cognition, or cross‑cultural psychology.
Example: “He insisted that the ‘rational actor’ model explained all human behavior—rational fundamentalism, ignoring decades of evidence that people don’t actually reason that way.”
Rational Fanaticism by Dumu The Void April 18, 2026
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