What does it mean to be irrational? | Daniel Adsett | TEDxAUBG

About this video

“Before one can accept conflicting reasons or recognize inconsistencies among one’s beliefs, one must be willing to do so.” In this talk, Daniel Adsett, through discussing the theory of irrationality, encourages us to allow ourselves to be open to the possibility of being wrong, to accept vulnerability while communicating with others, and to be willing to learn from our opponents. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx. Daniel Adsett is a philosopher and academic specializing in applied ethics, with a focus on business and environmental ethics. He earned his PhD in Philosophy from Marquette University in 2020 and began teaching at the American University in Bulgaria (AUBG) in the fall of 2021. Originally from Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada, his academic work explores complex questions at the intersection of ethics, rationality, and human belief systems. He is the author of Karl Jaspers’ Theory of Irrationality: From Delusions to Worldviews (2025), and his research has been published in leading academic journals, including Philosophia, The Heythrop Journal, and International Philosophical Quarterly. Through his teaching and writing, Daniel Adsett engages students and readers in critical discussions about ethical decision-making in contemporary society. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx