Human being is supposed to be a rational
animal. But throughout the history its action could hardly be qualified for the
definition of rationality even though the definition of rationality has been
created by none other than but human being itself. When Herbert Simon adopted
the concept of bounded rationality by rejecting rationality, he was so much
correct in assuming so.
When an animal make a choice, it makes so
by having a full cognizance of situation and a clear cut goal. I don’t think
they ever have any hesitancy erupting out of sense of ignorance. But we human
being are fully aware of out mental limitation and our choices are blinded by
our own sense of limitation, which we term as a rational choice in a given
situation
When the Finance minister presented the
budget yesterday his hands were supposedly tied with different constraint. Galloping
inflation, dipping growth numbers, sluggish industrial output, adverse global
situation, high oil price, upcoming election and finally disenchantment of mass
(which is definitely not new) , doesn't really provide a smooth ride to FM. Hence
the resultant package came out as budget has been termed as a rational choice.
Does it really present a rational choice and if yes then rational for whom and
rational by what?
My motive here is not to comment on budget or
any political situations. Situation related to Budget here is just the metaphor
to the various situation faced by us in our daily life. We eke out a rational
decision out of myriad of conditions or should I say that we just adjust our
decision to make it rational in the given circumstance.
I guess I am using lots of jargon and really getting lost in the maze of irrationality ;). Anyway, today I was just talking to a
friend and talk just moved over to the matter of felling of trees for
commercial gain. Question was just very simple – why can’t we find another way instead
of cutting the trees. This simple question has multiple dimensions which is
definitely not that simple. A tree planted in the small plot, coming in the way
of building a shelter for a small farmer has to go. What rationality we can put
up there. We can cry over builders
flattening out a forest but we won’t hesitate if we do same thing when we buy a
plot to build house. Land is expensive and who can give it free to tree for
sheltering.
Why human life is so complex? Why can’t we take
decision just like an average animal? If at all our decision is rational how
come it keeps pounding on our conscience. We ourself are responsible for
knitting a complex web around our life, but the sad thing is that we are not even
trying to understand and stop this. Our constant endeavour to find rationality
has catapulted us in world of irrationality L
