The Normativity of Rationality

Sometimes our intentions and beliefs exhibit a structure that proves us to be irrational. The Normativity of Rationality is concerned with the question of whether we ought to avoid such irrationality. Benjamin Kiesewetter defends the normativity of rationality by presenting a new solution to the problems that arise from the common assumption that we ought to be rational. The argument touches upon many other topics in the theory of normativity, such as the form and the content of rational requirements, the preconditions of criticism, and the function of reasons in deliberation and advice. Drawing on an extensive and careful assessment of the problems discussed in the literature, Kiesewetter provides a detailed defence of a reason-response conception of rationality, a novel, evidence-relative account of reasons, and an explanation of structural irrationality in terms of these accounts.

Table of Contents:
1: Introduction: the normativity of rationality 2: Rationality, reasons, and criticism 3: Structural requirements of rationality 4: Bootstrapping and other detachment problems 5: The why-be-rational challenge 6: The myth of structural rationality 7: Rationality as responding correctly to reasons 8: An evidence-relative account of reasons 9: Explaining structural irrationality 10: Explaining instrumental irrationality

About the Author :
Benjamin Kiesewetter studied philosophy, German literature and cultural studies in Berlin, Nottingham, and Berkeley. He received his Ph.D. from Humboldt University of Berlin in 2014, and worked as a lecturer and research associate at the Australian National University in Canberra, the Humboldt University of Berlin, and the University of Hamburg. He works on metaethics, reasons and rationality, children's rights and other normative issues in philosophy.

Review :
A superb book... The Normativity of Rationality is excellent from start to finish. Benjamin Kiesewetter has written an exceptional book on an important and challenging topic... His book combines cleverness and originality with careful exploration of difficult terrain. It is ambitious. It contains genuine insight. I have been telling everyone who will listen that they should read it. I recommend it to you without reservation. [A] tremendous book... thorough, powerful, sensible and clear... Anyone working on rationality and reasons will have to take into account Kiesewetter's formidable arguments; and anyone interested in the topic will enjoy and learn a great deal from this book. Kiesewetter's book is... sophisticated,... extremely thorough, [and] crystal clear... No-one working on these topics can responsibly overlook it. An excellent book... Reading The Normativity of Rationality is a delightful experience for every philosopher interested in the subject of rationality. The Normativity of Rationality is a thoughtful, well-written, well-situated book that is as intriguing as it is illuminating. ... There is no doubt that this work is a must-read piece for those interested in the debates concerning rational requirements, and that it will provoke additional important discussion and research in the future. A must-read for anyone interested in themes at the intersection of reasons, rationality, and normativity. I can say without hesitation that in my opinion this is the best original work on this topic. I very much enjoy reading philosophy at its best - the pleasure and excitement of finding one new insight after another until they lead up to a surprising conclusion is very much like the feeling you get from a good thriller. I've found Benjamin Kiesewetter's The Normativity of Rationality unputdownable for this reason - check it out! This is one of the most persuasive and interesting treatments of rationality that I have read.