Rational Recursion

The application of rational standards to rationality itself—asking whether one’s standards of rationality are themselves rational, and whether that meta‑standard is rational, leading to an infinite chain. Rational recursion is often used to challenge foundationalist claims in epistemology, showing that any justification for reason must either be circular, regressive, or dogmatic. In practical discourse, it appears when someone demands a rational justification for trusting reason, leading to a paradox.

Example: “He demanded a rational proof that rationality is reliable. She noted that any such proof would already assume rationality. Rational recursion: the impossibility of fully grounding reason without circularity.”

by Dumu The Void March 25, 2026