rationales
Reasons behind decisions
Rationales is the plural of rationale—the underlying reasons or logical basis for something.
A rationale explains why a decision was made or why a position is held: The committee questioned the rationales behind the budget cuts.
Unlike reasons, which can be simple, rationales typically involve structured justification or explicit reasoning.
Protection against harm
- vindicationClearance of blame
- reasoningDrawing logical conclusions
- explanationStatement making something clear
- groundsBasis for justification
basis · warrant · substantiation · validation · legitimization · excuse · plea · pretext
Reason something exists
- intentionPlanned purpose for acting
- goalDesired end result
- driveOperate a vehicle
- impetusForce initiating action
incentive · aim · objective · motive · basis · grounds · cause · justification
Science of valid reasoning
- deductionConclusion from premises
- inductionFormal admission process
- inferenceConclusion reached through reasoning
- analysisMethodical study of parts
argumentation · syllogism · premise · conclusion · validity · soundness · coherence · cogency
Making meaning plain
- elucidationAct of explaining clearly
- explicationDetailed interpretive analysis
- interpretationAssigned meaning
- commentaryExplanatory remarks on events
annotation · gloss · analysis · description · illustration · delineation · insight · understanding
defense
Protection against harm
- vindicationClearance of blame
- reasoningDrawing logical conclusions
- explanationStatement making something clear
grounds · basis · warrant · substantiation · validation · legitimization · excuse · plea · pretext · sanction
purpose
Reason something exists
impetus · incentive · aim · objective · motive · basis · grounds · cause · justification · thinking
logic
Science of valid reasoning
- deductionConclusion from premises
- inductionFormal admission process
- inferenceConclusion reached through reasoning
analysis · argumentation · syllogism · premise · conclusion · validity · soundness · coherence · cogency · proof
clarification
Making meaning plain
- elucidationAct of explaining clearly
- explicationDetailed interpretive analysis
- interpretationAssigned meaning
commentary · annotation · gloss · analysis · description · illustration · delineation · insight · understanding · decoding
- assertionsassertions, asserting, assert, statements, stating
- court rulingsrulings, divorce decree, judgments, annulment, verdicts
rationaleswhims
Spontaneous, capricious notions
impulses · gut feelings · hunches · instincts · caprice
rationalessilence
Total lack of sound
refusals · stonewalling · evasions · mysteries · no comment
rationalesabsurdities
Utterly senseless notions
nonsense · irrationalities · illogic · fallacies · contradictions
- rational thoughtLogic-based mental process
- rational mind
- rational thinkingLogic-based mental process
- rational beingsEntities possessing logical thought
- rational numberFraction with integer parts
- rational discourseLogic-based exchange of views
rational, irrational, rationale, rationality, rationalize, rationalism, irrationally, irrationality, rationalist