Several Remarks on Rationality. Introduction

Rationalism is an attempt to describe the nature of reason and to delimit its scope. All types of rationalism treat reason as a high value not only cognitive but also moral. This article is a short historical synthesis showing certain crucial points in the history of understanding reason and rationality. It also draws some points of evolutionary shifts or revolutionary changes. Reason as logos and reason as ratio, reason of the Enlightment scientism and irrationalism and finally the search for new rationality. The article also poses the question whether the cognitive standpoint, on the ground of which rationalism developed, is fundamental in human life