Rational Animal
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Rational Animal is the classical definition of man.[1] Aristotle used it as a primary example to illustrate both the basic structure of definitions and how he thought defintions could provide an understanding about the essential nature of objects. The definition located man within the genus of amimals, but differentiated him from them by the possession of reason. Reponses to this can be grouped into three categories: those who object to man as essentially rational, those who object to implicit claim that other animals are not rational, and those who object to definitions as the vehicle for geting at essential natures.
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[edit] Aristotle
[edit] Descartes
In Meditation II of Meditations on First Philosophy, Descartes arrives at his famous "I am, I exist" claim. He then goes on to wonder "What am I?" He considers and rejects, "rational animal":
Shall I say 'a rational animal'? No; for then I should have to inquire what an animal is, what rationality is, and in this one question would lead me down the slope to other harder ones.[1]
[edit] The (Ir)rationality of Man
[edit] The Rationality of Animals
- Rational Animals?
- Rational Animals -- a non-profit animal welfare group.]
[edit] Quotes
- Man is a rational animal who always loses his temper when called upon to act in accordance with the dictates of reason. --Oscar Wilde
- It has been said that man is a rational animal. All my life I have been searching for evidence which could support this. -- Bertrand Russell
[edit] See also
[edit] Notes
- ^ The Philosophical Writings of Descartes Volumn II. Translated by John Cottingham, Robert Stoothoff, Dugald Murdoch. Cambridge University Press. 1984.
