I've been lurking here a bit, and am trying to understand what people here mean by rationalism. Many articles here seem to refer to discussion participants as rationalist while meaning very seemingly-different things, including intelligent, socially awkward, well-educated, and unencumbered by education. I'm trying to make a little more sense of the word/concept.
Surely it does not refer to rationalist in the empiricism/rationalism divide, because it doesn't seem to be used in quite that way.
I would add to this that (it seems to me) what most people here mean when they refer to a rationalist is someone who consciously tries to apply their knowledge of epistemic rationality to generate their beliefs, and someone who consciously tries to apply their knowledge of instrumental rationality to achieve their values.
(That's opposed to someone who has a "textbook" knowledge of the techniques of rationality, but doesn't actually call upon it when making decisions.)
Anyone using the word "rationalist" here to imply "intelligent, socially awkward, well-educated, and unencumbered by education" is just being extremely sloppy with their words.
2Sniffnoy
See also: http://lesswrong.com/lw/nc/newcombs_problem_and_regret_of_rationality/ , and the "nameless virtue" of http://yudkowsky.net/rational/virtues .
Edit: And http://lesswrong.com/lw/7i/rationality_is_systematized_winning/ , which I forgot.
I've been lurking here a bit, and am trying to understand what people here mean by rationalism. Many articles here seem to refer to discussion participants as rationalist while meaning very seemingly-different things, including intelligent, socially awkward, well-educated, and unencumbered by education. I'm trying to make a little more sense of the word/concept.
Surely it does not refer to rationalist in the empiricism/rationalism divide, because it doesn't seem to be used in quite that way.