Abstract: Michael Oakeshott characterizes Western modernity in terms of rationalism. And the domination of rationalism, in his view, is an outcome of neglecting practical knowledge, a kind of knowledge other than technical knowledge. He argues for the legitimacy of practical knowledge and clarifies its role in human activities. As an application of the distinction between practical knowledge and technical knowledge, Oakeshott, in the domain of politics, emphasizes the value of tradition in opposition to ideology. Generally speaking, his endeavor, together with Michael Polanyi’s theory of tacit knowledge, is dedicated to the construction of a kind of general epistemology, which joins force with the trend of reviving Aristotelian practical philosophy in the 20th century.