Rationalities
From Geography
Definition
A rationality is in common speaking consitent handling based on a sort of reason. Important with this kind of handling that it is based on facts witch a certain knowledge of cause and (the predicted) consequence.
Rationality is an important subject of the works of Max Weber. He considered that the modern (western) society was made possible because of the rational way of acting/thinking. For example he made an distinction between goal rationality and value rationality. Important notice by this term when used by Max Weber is that one true explanation of the term rationality isn't possible or easily to explain.
Weber used four types of social action refering to universal capacities of homo sapiens. Namely: affectual, traditional, value- rational, and means-end rational action. How universal this sounds. As a comparative-historical sociologist, Weber wanted to dig deeper than simply fragmented action orientations. To find out more about regularities and patterns of action he developed four types of rationality. "Practical," "theoretical," "formal," and "sub-stantive" rationality constitute this typology. The goal of these types of rationality is to master (Beherrschen) fragmented and disconnected realities.
References
Kahlberg, S., (1980), Max Weber's Types of Rationality: Cornerstones for the Analysis of Rationalization Processes in History, American Journal of Sociology , Vol. 85, No. 5, pp. 1145-1179, The University of Chicago Press
