I don’t know if this actually counts as a dissenting opinion, since there seems to be a conclusion around here that a little irrationality is okay. But I published a post about the virtues of irrationality (modeled after Yukowsky’s twelve virtues of rationality), found here:
http://antisingularity.wordpress.com/2009/06/05/twelve-virtues-of-irrationality/
I suppose my attempt is to provide a more rational view by including irrationality but that is merely my opinion. I believe that there are good irrational things in the universe and I think that is a dissenting opinion from the major views expressed here. Please take that how you will.
“So as a result, committing yourself to rationality doesn’t actually commit you to an outcome, as perhaps following a scripture would.”
Doesn’t committing yourself to rationality commit you to the outcome that so and so “will be rational”? I’m not saying that this is the same exact thing as what evangelical christians do, where they actually twist the lines to reason to their preferred conclusion. But it’s like Jack said, don’t dupe yourself into thinking none of the problems with labeling will apply to you. That’s where you get into a tricky place, because you are ignoring a piece of information that does not jibe with your preferred view of yourself.