The use of "rationality" as a rhetorical weapon to dismiss perspectives, emotions, or experiences that don't fit a narrow definition of reason. Rational Sophism positions the speaker as the sole arbiter of what's rational, using that position to exclude, dismiss, and dominate. "Be rational" means "agree with me." "That's irrational" means "I don't want to understand." The rational sophist doesn't reason; they perform reasonableness, using the mantle of rationality to avoid genuine engagement.
"She tried to explain her emotional experience. 'Be rational,' he said—which meant 'stop feeling, think like me.' Rational Sophism: using rationality as a club, not a bridge. Reason became a weapon against understanding, not a tool for it."
by Abzugal Nammugal Enkigal March 7, 2026
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