Monday, October 18, 2010

Rational.

It's been a while. I've been writing WAY more than normal it just happens to be in the old fashioned pen to paper style. Sorry Sorry. Writing is so good. It's what I do when I have so much on my mind that I feel overwhelmed by my own thoughts. Which is frequently, Sometimes I wish there was an off switch.
I have an unusual pet peeve. I became insanely aware of it when I was sitting in my criminology class today. I get very aggravated when someone presents an opinion in an authoritative factual way. Today in class we were discussing Rational Choice Theory as it relates to criminology. My professor then writes "evaluation of this theory" on the board. meaning that the whole basis of rational choice theory implies that Criminals are rational and if they are not then the theory crumbles. This was followed by the question "Are criminals rational?" A girl raised her hand and said No because people don't make a rational decision when committing crimes of passion, or while intoxicated, or if they have lower levels of mental competency. (by this point in time I had already put my pen down and quit taking notes because I was shocked that the teacher accepted this opinion as the only opinion. I have taken to not speaking in that class anymore because everytime i say something that is right he gets defensive because he thinks his way of teaching is more clever than the students and gets mad when it's not... anyway)

so one of the primary theories i've studied in International Affairs is Rational Choice theory. What my professor seems to be functioning out of is that we all have the same set of values that are the basis of our decisions, which simply is not true. But more so I would make the argument and I am under the opinion that Criminals are rational. Even if it doesn't seem like it. Criminals have a value structure that they make decisions by... I argue that the reasons that he listed for criminals being irrational are the factors that alter a person's value structure. Meaning they still act rationally.

you might not care. but it's been fresh on my mind since class.
Quick nap before work? yep.

1 comment:

Kristin said...

I'm proud of you for still going to class :)