Definition of physiological. 1  1 : of or relating to physiology. 2  2 : characteristic of or appropriate to an organism's healthy or normal functioning the sodium level was physiological. 3  3 : differing in, involving, or affecting physiological factors a physiological strain of bacteria.
Motivated reasoning is confirmation bias taken to the next level. Motivated reasoning leads people to confirm what they already believe, while ignoring contrary data. But it also drives people to develop elaborate rationalizations to justify holding beliefs that logic and evidence have shown to be wrong.
Einstein is not a lone example of this particular (perhaps peculiar) type of motivated reasoning in science. In fact, one could make a pretty good argument that the âpursuit of beautiful equationsâ (for lack of a better moniker) has been a very significant (and successful) driver of physics.