Please operationalize "Rational" for me!

Inspired by our immersion into game theory and the constant postulating as to others actions, I was struck today that very few students handed in their game theory homework as per the instructions on the first page. Haven't we spent two weeks inside a world that needs to be played with rational rule following actions in order to work and be beneficial to all or at least most or at least you.

Then I realized that maybe the norm that dictates hand in times has not been properly upheld for this class. Is it because this is the first time that we have had to turn in an assignment physically on a desk during class time? Maybe. But we have spent our school careers turning things in as per the instructors instructions and being penalized for deviating from that. Do we think that Dan wont penalize us? I have to wonder, why put the time due on the assignment at all? Does Dan just like to type? Maybe he wanted to see if we follow instructions well, who knows. One thing is clear though, only a fraction of the class felt an obligation to follow the instructions of the assignment to the letter (no pun intended) and as it would appear Dan didn't seem to care either. In the future I will remember to relax and go with the Dan, as one of my brilliant classmates has suggested.

I am left with one Weberianesque question:

Is it possible to be a rational player in an irrational world?