Theoretical and Practical Rationality in Philosophy

Theoretical Rationale and Practical Rationality

Reason is the power and the act of explaining, arguing, or justifying something. Depending on its use and valuation, we can speak of different rationalities. One of the most classical distinctions is the difference between theoretical and practical rationality.

Theoretical reason is oriented toward the contemplation of the world and the knowledge of reality, seeking to fathom, explain, and understand it. Practical reason, according to Kant, is the use of reason that guides action. This prevails over passions to orient us toward a moral ideal set by reason itself. Aristotle calls this prudential reason, a deliberative reason that attempts to clarify what one should choose for happiness.

Philosophy as a Theoretical Rationale

Reason in its theoretical use aims to know reality with as much truth and strictness as possible. The task of unraveling the real cannot be achieved without specifying how we know the truth. This clarification addresses philosophical knowledge, the theory of knowledge, or Gnoseology. This knowledge is included in the field of metaphysical knowledge.

The Essence of Metaphysical Knowledge

Metaphysical knowledge is a specific contribution and a way of dealing with reality. Metaphysics attempts to reach reality in its totality, leading us beyond particular objects. This is the difference, because metaphysical knowledge wants to go beyond scientific explanations. Ultimacy is one of its basic features; it attempts to reach final issues where the answers no longer support further questioning.

Metaphysics seeks to address its study from a universal perspective. It cares about what is common to all things and what they are. Metaphysics is the result of the intellectual effort of people who feel the need to sense and interpret their experiences. In order to give reason for what exists, it is the ultimate pretension of finding bearings in the world. When we order principles and the sense through which we understand all our experience, we are practicing metaphysics.