Irrationalism: meaning, definitions and examples

Philosophical Origins

• Irrationalism emerged in response to rationalism, which believes that reason is the primary source of knowledge.
• Philosophers like Kierkegaard and Nietzsche argued that human experience is often beyond logical explanation.
• The idea challenges the Enlightenment belief that humans can rely solely on reason for understanding the world.

Psychology

• Cognitive biases, such as confirmation bias, often illustrate how people make decisions based on emotions rather than facts.
• Emotional reasoning, which is the belief that our feelings reflect reality, plays a key role in irrational thought processes.
• The concept suggests that irrational beliefs can lead to emotional distress and influence behavior.

Art and Literature

• Irrationalism is often reflected in surrealist art, where illogical scenes challenge our understanding of reality.
• In literature, authors like Franz Kafka capture the absurdities of life, emphasizing irrational experiences over logical narratives.
• Dadaism, an artistic movement, rejected reason and logic in favor of chaos and spontaneity.

Modern Culture

• Many political movements and social phenomena demonstrate irrationalism as emotions often drive public opinion more than facts.
• Debunked conspiracy theories often persist due to the emotional and psychological needs of individuals rather than logical evidence.
• In marketing, companies frequently leverage emotional appeals to persuade consumers, tapping into non-rational decision-making.

Historical Influence

• During the Romantic period, thinkers emphasized emotion and individualism, rejecting the strict logic of the Enlightenment.
• The reactions against industrialization and technological advancement often invoked irrationalism as a critique of modern society.
• Historical events such as revolutions were sometimes driven by collective emotional responses instead of rational planning.