Quote:
Originally Posted by Thasaidon
The use of the term rationalisations could be a little perjorative as what may be described as a rationalisation by one person could be a deeply held philosophical viewpoint by the person so described. You may not agree with this philosophical viewpoint but it is just as valid as the viewpoint of the person shouting "rationalisations".
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Very true. Describing someone as rationalising is seldom objective, depending as it does on your own subjective views and on your speculation as to the subjective views of the person allegedly rationalising. And yes, what to one person is rationalising can be a deeply held belief of the other person. Dismissing arguments as rationalisations is, I suppose, yet another method of avoiding a discussion of the merits of those arguments. This is what I was getting at, somewhat clumsily, with my statement you quoted. Just because someone dismisses an argument as an alleged rationalisation does not preclude some validity, whether or not it is in fact a rationalisation. And, of course, whether it is in fact a rationalisation depends on the state of mind of the person allegedly rationalising, not on the objective facts.