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practical reason

American  

noun

  1. (in Kantian ethics) reason applied to the problem of action and choice, especially in ethical matters.


practical reason British  

noun

  1. the faculty by which human beings determine how to act

  2. reasoning concerning the relative merits of actions

  3. the principles governing arguments which issue in actions or intentions to act

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of practical reason

First recorded in 1895–1900

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

Mr Taylor, who has written about Scottish personal names and place-names, said there was a good practical reason behind the tradition.

From BBC Jan. 26, 2025

Many real-life animals known as hematophages that sustain themselves on blood for a more practical reason — survival.

From Salon Oct. 31, 2024

Natalie Portman just shared her very practical reason for steering away from Method acting.

From Los Angeles Times Jan. 9, 2024

Sen. Brian Schatz, Democrat from Hawaii, has a more practical reason for liking consensus.

From Seattle Times Dec. 11, 2023

And I could think of no rational or practical reason why my father should try to find out who his father’s father was.

From "Black Boy" by Richard Wright

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