Social Policy: Rationalism (BNW)

Introduction

Rationalism, available in the Renaissance Era, is one of the most focused branches, being entirely devoted to science (with slight benefit to gold). Only two policies in the branch does not directly increase the production of beakers. Rationalism is a key branch for all victories.

The Policies

• Rationalism
• Humanism
• Secularism
• Sovereignty
• Free Thought
• Scientific Revolution
• Finisher

The Policies

Rationalism

Adopting Rationalism boosts +10% Science while the empire is Happy. Unlocks building the Porcelain Tower.

The opener is straightforward: just ensure that your empire is happy so you could get a nice science boost. The percentage bonus from Rationalism opener is a global modifier, so it even multiplies the percentage bonus from science buildings, making Rationalism appealing to any civilization that desires a fast research speed.

The Porcelain Tower is a key scientific wonder, providing both a Great Scientist and a 50% boost to Research Agreement pay-offs (in addition to +1 culture and 2 Great Scientist points). In order to receive the Research Agreement bonus, the Porcelain Tower must be completed before the Research Agreement matures (it is not necessary that the Porcelain Tower be built before entering into a Research Agreement).

Humanism

+25% Great Scientist Birth Rate

While this policy does not directly increase science rate, by increasing the GS rate in addition to getting your natural born GS earlier, it will probably result in getting one more GS than you should otherwise, decreasing time to victory by eight turns. As a secondary impact, this allows allows cities already running all science slots to run GE & GM slots for the Secularism bonus with less micromanagement to avoid accidentally spawning a GE or GM. This boost stacks additively with other Great Person generation boosts, such as the +25% boosts from National Epic, Garden, Leaning Tower of Pisa and the ideological tenets, Hero of the People (Order) and Avant Garde (Freedom).

Secularism

+2 Science from every Specialist.

This will provide 5 science per scientist specialist and cities that can support more specialists will get more benefit. When combined with tenets within the Freedom Ideology and the Statue of Liberty, specialists can become significantly better than working regular tiles. Each scientist specialist, for example, will be providing 1 1 5 0.5 . With Korean UA, each specialist will provide two additional science, for a total of +7 science per science specialist and +4 science for other specialists. Though all specialists become more useful, micromanagement to avoid popping unwanted great people is advised.

Sovereignty

+1 Gold from Science buildings.
Requires: Secularism

In practice, Sovereignty is a bit meh and grants little boost, just defraying some of the maintenance costs of your science buildings. This provides between 2-4 extra gold per city. Not a great policy choice by itself, but it is on the way to Scientific Revolution.

Free Thought

+1 Science from every Trading Post and +17% Science from Universities.
Requires: Humanism

The boost to university is neat, making each University providing a 50% bonus to research. The boost to Trading Post output makes trading post covered jungles especially attractive tiles (with Economics, river, Commerce finisher), providing 2 4 3 . Normally, the first part of the boost provides more science, but if a puppet empire is being run, then this second part is bigger. Either way, the policy as a whole is highly desirable.

Scientific Revolution

Increase Science gained from research agreements by 50%.
Requires: Sovereignty

This boost stacks additively with that from the Porcelain Tower. Scientific Revolution further encourages you to invest on science by signing research agreements and push you forward towards Science Victory.

Finisher

Adopting all Policies in the Rationalism tree will grant a free Technology. May purchase Great Scientists with Faith.

Here comes the highlight of Rationalism. The trick is to use it at the best possible time for maximum effect, optimally a late game tech that have huge base cost. This can be combined with timing of Oxford and/or GS bulbing and/or RA completion to unblock a more expensive tech to choose than would otherwise be available. In many cases, it is advantageous to reserve one Great Writer to bulb a Political Treatise at the right time to take your last Rationalism policy for a key technology. For example, you might use Rationalism to bulb Satellites to enable you to immediately start building the Hubble Space Telescope. Or, for domination, you might bulb Plastics to unlock Research Labs and to upgrade your troops to Infantry, allowing you to sweep the opposition.

Faith-buying Great Scientists, which can be done after Industrial, further increases the science emphasis of Rationalism. This can also be combined if the free tech has unblocked another expensive tech you can faith buy a GS or 2 immediately (but will have to wait until the next turn to use).