Re: why rationality can't be learned by rote -

If you introspect on a process of reason, you see that you actually *choose* at each step which path of inquiry to follow next and which to ignore. Each choice takes the argument to the next step, ultimately driving it to completion. Reason is "powered by choice(TM)" which is why it is incoherent to argue rationally for determinism and also why it can't be learned by rote.

Software developers (such as myself) in our more abstract moments can think of reason as simply encoding ones premises as a string of symbols standing for definitions and mechanically applying the rules of deduction (Prolog style). But introspection belies this - it's actually highly creative and messy. Reason is an art not a science.