Weber identifies two distinct types of rationality. These are: i) ‘Zweckrationalitat’ or goal oriented/ends based rationally and ii) ‘Wertrationalitat’ or value-based rationality. The former is characteristic of modern, capitalist society and flows from goal-oriented social action . Zweckrationalitat refers to rationalisation of means and goals/ends. Reason and logical thinking are recommended in order to obtain one’s desires. Wertrationalitat, on the contrary is characteristic of traditional social formations. It is involved with morality and touches upon emotions, sentiments and beliefs. Societal approval of individual action is considered important. Weber believes that traditional societies did have rational elements in their social organisation, but these were defined in terms of values or moral norms.

The sphere of rationalisation is extended to economic, political, religious, etc., organisations. Weber makes extensive use of the concept of rationality in his study of social actions, organisations and processes. He also uses it as a mode of scientific investigation. Thus, rationality appears in Weber’s work in two broadly distinct, but inter-related ways.

The two major ways in which Weber treats or handles rationality in his work are as follows:

Society as a Rationalisation Process

The first meaning is related to the study of society as a process of rationalisation. That is, an older, less rational form changes into a newer more rational form. this is what he calls rationalisation, i.e. the way in which reason becomes effective in history, the actual historical process. Weber sees the development of history, and particularly recent history, i.e. the ‘modern’, as one of increasing rationality and rationalisation. Protestantism, capitalism and bureaucracy are successive forms of this process of rationalisation. Weber took a particular interest in the rationalization of culture and of everyday life because he believed that an emphasis on “rationalism” was the most characteristic feature of contemporary Western civilization.  He did not suggest that such rationalism was only to be found in the modern West, But he did believe that rationalization could be equated with modernization.  By rationalization, Weber meant the following : Scientific-technological rationalism (positivism), Metaphysical-ethical rationalism, Methodical life-style rationalism.

Scientific-technological rationalism refers to the rise of science and technology.  Weber was extremely interested in tracing the casual interrelationships among science, technology, capitalism, and the rise of the modern nation-state.  According to Weber, there is an integral interdependence between capitalism and the modern, bureaucratic nation-state.  The state applies social engineering techniques to the practice of social administration in order to manipulate and control citizens effectively and plan for capitalist accumulation.

Metaphysical-ethical-rationalism refers to the rationalization of culture and the systematization of meaning.  Weber argued that this process was helping to shape contemporary art, music, and architecture.  The abstract formalism of modern music, for instance, rationalizes music, making it less sensual and more cerebral.

The essence of metaphysical-ethical rationalism is that it permits individuals to take a unified and standardized approach to the cosmos. 

Methodical life-style rationalism refers to the way in which the lives of individuals can become routinized and organized.  Weber pointed out that the conception of a “calling,” a “vocation,” or a “career” can all serve to enhance this kind of rationalism.  As we have seen, he believed the Reformation had been extremely important in helping to develop methodical life-style rationalism in the West.

Weber conceded that modern forms of rationality are in many ways a profoundly unsatisfactory responses to the “problem of meaning”. Scientific-technological rationalism when applied to problems of living, turns the social actor into an interchangeable and standardized unit.  Yet Weber pointed out that this process was unavoidably linked to the “democratization” of the modern world.  For instance, the “right” of citizens can be enforced by state bureaucracies only if the rationallegal authority of these bureaucracies is unchallenged by traditional or charismatic forces.  Unless a leveling process takes place, and unless traditional aristocratic privileges and distinctions among individuals are removed, the idea of “democracy” is without meaning.

Rationality as a Methodological Tool

The second way of seeing rationality is as a methodological principle, a strategy of inquiry, and a method of investigation. It is Weber’s aim to lay bare the logic of various social forms and processes even when they appear at first glance to the irrational, non-rational or anti-rational. In this sense rationality is a mode of inquiry that seeks to discover the reason of a social form or development.

The development of a value-free social science in this sense in necessary for creating a body of reliable and assured knowledge. As to whether such knowledge becomes subsequently cause for action is not within the domain of merely sociology as a discipline. Knowledge can guide action only when the discipline itself becomes reliable.vWeber identifies two distinct types of rationality. These are: i) ‘Zweckrationalitat’ or goal oriented/ends based rationally and ii) ‘Wertrationalitat’ or value-based rationality. The former is characteristic of modern, capitalist society and flows from goal-oriented social action . Zweckrationalitat refers to rationalisation of means and goals/ends. Reason and logical thinking are recommended in order to obtain one’s desires. Wertrationalitat, on the contrary is characteristic of traditional social formations. It is involved with morality and touches upon emotions, sentiments and beliefs. Societal approval of individual action is considered important. Weber believes that traditional societies did have rational elements in their social organisation, but these were defined in terms of values or moral norms.

The sphere of rationalisation is extended to economic, political, religious, etc., organisations. Weber makes extensive use of the concept of rationality in his study of social actions, organisations and processes. He also uses it as a mode of scientific investigation. Thus, rationality appears in Weber’s work in two broadly distinct, but inter-related ways.

The two major ways in which Weber treats or handles rationality in his work are as follows:

Society as a Rationalisation Process

The first meaning is related to the study of society as a process of rationalisation. That is, an older, less rational form changes into a newer more rational form. this is what he calls rationalisation, i.e. the way in which reason becomes effective in history, the actual historical process. Weber sees the development of history, and particularly recent history, i.e. the ‘modern’, as one of increasing rationality and rationalisation. Protestantism, capitalism and bureaucracy are successive forms of this process of rationalisation. Weber took a particular interest in the rationalization of culture and of everyday life because he believed that an emphasis on “rationalism” was the most characteristic feature of contemporary Western civilization.  He did not suggest that such rationalism was only to be found in the modern West, But he did believe that rationalization could be equated with modernization.  By rationalization, Weber meant the following : Scientific-technological rationalism (positivism), Metaphysical-ethical rationalism, Methodical life-style rationalism.

Scientific-technological rationalism refers to the rise of science and technology.  Weber was extremely interested in tracing the casual interrelationships among science, technology, capitalism, and the rise of the modern nation-state.  According to Weber, there is an integral interdependence between capitalism and the modern, bureaucratic nation-state.  The state applies social engineering techniques to the practice of social administration in order to manipulate and control citizens effectively and plan for capitalist accumulation.

Metaphysical-ethical-rationalism refers to the rationalization of culture and the systematization of meaning.  Weber argued that this process was helping to shape contemporary art, music, and architecture.  The abstract formalism of modern music, for instance, rationalizes music, making it less sensual and more cerebral.

The essence of metaphysical-ethical rationalism is that it permits individuals to take a unified and standardized approach to the cosmos. 

Methodical life-style rationalism refers to the way in which the lives of individuals can become routinized and organized.  Weber pointed out that the conception of a “calling,” a “vocation,” or a “career” can all serve to enhance this kind of rationalism.  As we have seen, he believed the Reformation had been extremely important in helping to develop methodical life-style rationalism in the West.

Weber conceded that modern forms of rationality are in many ways a profoundly unsatisfactory responses to the “problem of meaning”. Scientific-technological rationalism when applied to problems of living, turns the social actor into an interchangeable and standardized unit.  Yet Weber pointed out that this process was unavoidably linked to the “democratization” of the modern world.  For instance, the “right” of citizens can be enforced by state bureaucracies only if the rationallegal authority of these bureaucracies is unchallenged by traditional or charismatic forces.  Unless a leveling process takes place, and unless traditional aristocratic privileges and distinctions among individuals are removed, the idea of “democracy” is without meaning.

Rationality as a Methodological Tool

The second way of seeing rationality is as a methodological principle, a strategy of inquiry, and a method of investigation. It is Weber’s aim to lay bare the logic of various social forms and processes even when they appear at first glance to the irrational, non-rational or anti-rational. In this sense rationality is a mode of inquiry that seeks to discover the reason of a social form or development.

The development of a value-free social science in this sense in necessary for creating a body of reliable and assured knowledge. As to whether such knowledge becomes subsequently cause for action is not within the domain of merely sociology as a discipline. Knowledge can guide action only when the discipline itself becomes reliable.