"Reason transformed into prejudice is the worst form of prejudice, because reason is the only instrument for liberation from prejudice"

When rationality is co-opted to justify biases, it becomes more dangerous than unexamined, instinctive prejudice. Allan Bloom observes that the human faculty of reason serves as our primary pathway out of ignorance and dogmatism. Reason enables critical self-examination, the weighing of evidence, and the questioning of inherited assumptions. It acts as an antidote to the uncritical grip of prejudice, which often arises from ignorance, fear, or unreflective tradition.

However, when reason itself is corrupted, employed not to challenge but to rationalize and fortify pre-existing biases, the situation becomes paradoxical and perilous. Prejudice adorned in the clothing of logic becomes harder to recognize and contest, giving it an air of legitimacy and intellectual respectability. Instead of freeing the mind, reason becomes a tool for enslavement to established views, buttressing dogmas with sophisticated arguments. This makes such prejudices even more insidious, as their rational facade shields them from ordinary criticism and grants them disproportionate authority.

The misuse of reason in this way strips it of its emancipatory power. It no longer functions as a means of self-correction and openness, but as a barricade against genuine inquiry and understanding. Intellectual history is replete with examples where carefully reasoned ideologies have justified slavery, racism, or other injustices, transforming what ought to be a force for progress and enlightenment into an apologetic for human folly.

Bloom’s insight cautions us to be vigilant against the allure of seemingly rational prejudices. It is only through genuine, self-critical reasoning, unafraid to question its own assumptions and motivations, that individuals and societies can hope to overcome prejudice. Reason’s great virtue lies not just in its power to explain, but sometimes, more importantly, in its power to unsettle and liberate us from the bonds of unreason masquerading as wisdom.