Following the Rules: Practical Reasoning and Deontic Constraint

Abstract

Joseph Heath’s Following the Rules challenges the prevailing view that rule-following is irrational, arguing instead that it is a fundamental aspect of rational action. He demonstrates how rational choice theory can be expanded to include deontic constraints, and argues that the psychological states underlying rule-following are not mysterious or irrational, but rather a product of our “language upgrade” that makes us social creatures. Heath posits that our social environment, including rule-governed structures, has become integrated into our psychological faculties, creating an inseparable link between practical rationality and moral obligation. He offers a naturalistic, evolutionary perspective that supports the Kantian notion of an intrinsic connection between being rational and experiencing the force of moral duties.