China Social Science Review

No.4, 2020

 

From Logical Rationality to Public Rationality: The Scientific Rationality Dilemma and a Way Out

(Abstract)

 

Meng Jianwei

 

Although the various arguments for scientific rationality provide clues for its understanding from certain perspectives, they have unfortunately left a great deal of confusion in their wake, and this dilemma seems to have become even trickier with the rise of postmodernism and its alternative philosophy. However, the key to solving this dilemma lies in how one defines rationality. Specifically, if it is defined as logical rationality in the sense of analytic philosophy, the question of scientific rationality is probably insoluble, since science, as a human social, historical and cultural activity, to a large extent cannot be covered by logical mathematical rationality. Therefore, if one defines rationality as public rationality in the sense of scientific practice, scientific rationality will not only have a solution, but will also find a way out of this dilemma that gives hope.