Rationality and kinds of normative grounds

The paper discusses problems related to possible gaps between the requirements of rationality and normativity. It shows that the analysis of a practical action from the point of view of instrumental rationality cannot be done without supplementing the context with the requirements of epistemic rationality. Only taking into account the demands of both types of rationality gives us hope to expect that the resulting rational grounds will have normative force. It is also shown that even this normative validity doesn’t always lead to the performance of the rational action. The author analyses the promising distinction of rational grounds offered by J. Gert and notes the strong and weak points of this approach.

Keywords: rationality, normativity, rational grounds, reasons, justification, H. Schnädelbach, J. Gert.