ABSTRACT
The Mayans' beliefs could be considered rational in a weaker sense, provided that the Mayans did have some reason to entertain them. The distinction between perfect rationality and weak rationality was introduced in order to argue that ritual beliefs qualify only for the latter, whose minimal constraints are connectedness and consistency. A promising alternative would be taking the Mayans' beliefs in astrological and prophetic predictions to be expressive or symbolic. This chapter argues that, like interpretations of works of art, such beliefs have their own rationale and result from emotional responses rather than intellectual judgment. The books of Chilam Balam provide solid evidence that the Mayans were in error in their beliefs about some important future events involving their own well-being and their flourishing as a people. Expressivism also seems to ignore the obvious fact that native peoples, such as the Mayans, hold their beliefs in astrology and prophecies as true.
