As Hobbes stresses in Leviathan, when constructing a logical argument, it is absolutely necessary to clearly define the terms that will be used in support of that argument. In his "Prefatory Remarks to Collected Essays in the Sociology of Religion," Max Weber repeatedly uses the term "rational" and derivatives thereof: "rationalism," "rationality," and "rationalization." All of these words are derived, first, from the Latin "rationalis," meaning "of or belonging to reason, reasonable" [1]. For Weber, the term is associated with "proof," the scientific method, systemic organization, economic systems, and other aspects of civilizations [2]. Weber's work marked the first use of the word "rationalization" to describe, among other things, the transformation a society undergoes when it moves away from religion and towards economic gain [3].
Weber's frequent use of the word "rationalization," however, grows confusing because it is not given a strict definition. It is clear that Weber considers rationalization to be a process that many aspects of society—specifically Western society—have undergone. Rationalization relates to law, economics, religion, even music. Since these areas are so different, rationalization presumably affects them in different ways, which perhaps explains why Weber prefers to describe the process rather than simply label it in each case. But as he does so, is he manipulating the reader's perception of what rationalization is in order to make it appear that the West has achieved higher levels of rationality than have other parts of the world? Or is he using a consistent application of logic to make it clear that the same operating principle applies to seemingly disparate areas?
The first mention of rationality in the "Prefatory Remarks" comes when Weber asserts, "A further product of the Hellenic mind, the idea of rational 'proof,' was absent from geometry in India" [4]. It is true that mathematical proofs, by which mathematicians demonstrated their conclusions, first arose in Greece, and the process was systematized by Euclid around 300 BCE; in India, there was some advanced understanding of geometric concepts, but they were not rigorously proven by any kind of Euclidean process. Returning to the term "rational," Weber uses it here to refer to a process that employs logical steps, or reasoning, rather than mere observation.
Weber ventures into more dubious territory when he describes the "'classical' rationalization of the entire art world" as a specifically Western process [7]. He goes on to clarify that in this case, the process of rationalization came about through "the rational use of both linear and spacial perspective" [8]. Once again, he is referring to a clearly laid-out, replicable process to create certain artistic effects. Certain rules can be followed to lead to a predictable, understandable result. Although the subject matter seems very different—mathematics versus art—art, in this case, takes on characteristics of geometry. Angles can be used to create perspective. The process eliminates guesswork and, to some extent, the potential for individual human error.
Reading the "Prefatory Remarks" does not provide a full picture of Weber's rationalization, but he conforms to it himself within the text, providing step-by-step explanations for how he reached his conclusions and what he means when he assigns labels to phenomena in the West and elsewhere in the world. Speaking broadly, rationalization is the process by which the mind creates structure and order, usually by means of rules and replicable steps, where otherwise there word exist disorder and irrationality. It is significant that Weber neither condones nor condemns the process; he merely brings it to the attention of his readers as an observable condition. He also acknowledges that rationality has, in the past, not been the lens through which most people saw the world, and that "magical and religious powers, and the ethical notions of duty based upon them, have been in the past among the most important formative influences upon the way life has been organized" [9]. That is what makes the burgeoning economic rationality in the West so exceptional.
[1] "Rational." Online Etymology Dictionary. From Barnhart, Robert K., ed., Barnhart Dictionary of Etymology, H.W. Wilson Co., 1988.
[2] Max Weber. "Prefatory Remarks to Collected Essays in the Sociology of Religion." The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism, trans. Stephen Kalberg (Roxbury, 2002).
[3] "Rationalization (Sociology)." From Wikipedia. Original source Macionis, J., and Gerber, L. (2010). Sociology, 7th edition.
[4] Weber, 149.
[5] Howard Eves, An Introduction to the History of Mathematics. (Saunders, 1990.) 141.
[6] Dani, S. G. (July 25, 2003). "Pythogorean Triples in the Sulvasutras", Current Science 85 (2): 219–224.
[7] Weber, 151.
[8] Ibid.
[9] Weber, 160.
Weber's frequent use of the word "rationalization," however, grows confusing because it is not given a strict definition. It is clear that Weber considers rationalization to be a process that many aspects of society—specifically Western society—have undergone. Rationalization relates to law, economics, religion, even music. Since these areas are so different, rationalization presumably affects them in different ways, which perhaps explains why Weber prefers to describe the process rather than simply label it in each case. But as he does so, is he manipulating the reader's perception of what rationalization is in order to make it appear that the West has achieved higher levels of rationality than have other parts of the world? Or is he using a consistent application of logic to make it clear that the same operating principle applies to seemingly disparate areas?
The first mention of rationality in the "Prefatory Remarks" comes when Weber asserts, "A further product of the Hellenic mind, the idea of rational 'proof,' was absent from geometry in India" [4]. It is true that mathematical proofs, by which mathematicians demonstrated their conclusions, first arose in Greece, and the process was systematized by Euclid around 300 BCE; in India, there was some advanced understanding of geometric concepts, but they were not rigorously proven by any kind of Euclidean process. Returning to the term "rational," Weber uses it here to refer to a process that employs logical steps, or reasoning, rather than mere observation.
Weber ventures into more dubious territory when he describes the "'classical' rationalization of the entire art world" as a specifically Western process [7]. He goes on to clarify that in this case, the process of rationalization came about through "the rational use of both linear and spacial perspective" [8]. Once again, he is referring to a clearly laid-out, replicable process to create certain artistic effects. Certain rules can be followed to lead to a predictable, understandable result. Although the subject matter seems very different—mathematics versus art—art, in this case, takes on characteristics of geometry. Angles can be used to create perspective. The process eliminates guesswork and, to some extent, the potential for individual human error.
Reading the "Prefatory Remarks" does not provide a full picture of Weber's rationalization, but he conforms to it himself within the text, providing step-by-step explanations for how he reached his conclusions and what he means when he assigns labels to phenomena in the West and elsewhere in the world. Speaking broadly, rationalization is the process by which the mind creates structure and order, usually by means of rules and replicable steps, where otherwise there word exist disorder and irrationality. It is significant that Weber neither condones nor condemns the process; he merely brings it to the attention of his readers as an observable condition. He also acknowledges that rationality has, in the past, not been the lens through which most people saw the world, and that "magical and religious powers, and the ethical notions of duty based upon them, have been in the past among the most important formative influences upon the way life has been organized" [9]. That is what makes the burgeoning economic rationality in the West so exceptional.
[1] "Rational." Online Etymology Dictionary. From Barnhart, Robert K., ed., Barnhart Dictionary of Etymology, H.W. Wilson Co., 1988.
[2] Max Weber. "Prefatory Remarks to Collected Essays in the Sociology of Religion." The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism, trans. Stephen Kalberg (Roxbury, 2002).
[3] "Rationalization (Sociology)." From Wikipedia. Original source Macionis, J., and Gerber, L. (2010). Sociology, 7th edition.
[4] Weber, 149.
[5] Howard Eves, An Introduction to the History of Mathematics. (Saunders, 1990.) 141.
[6] Dani, S. G. (July 25, 2003). "Pythogorean Triples in the Sulvasutras", Current Science 85 (2): 219–224.
[7] Weber, 151.
[8] Ibid.
[9] Weber, 160.
Is rationality then an ideational process that structures interests (alongside say, religion) or a process through which we determine what our true interests are and calculate action?
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