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Why Being Wrong Makes Humans So Smart
Hugh Pickens sends in an excerpt in last week's Boston Globe from Kathryn Schulz's book Being Wrong: Adventures in the Margin of Error. "The more scientists understand about cognitive functioning, the more it becomes clear that our capacity to make mistakes is utterly inextricable from what makes the human brain so swift, adaptable, and intelligent. Rather than treating errors like the bedbugs of the intellect — an appalling and embarrassing nuisance we try to pretend out of existence — we need to recognize that human fallibility is part and parcel of human brilliance. Neuroscientists increasingly think that inductive reasoning undergirds virtually all of human cognition. Humans use inductive reasoning to learn language, organize the world into meaningful categories, and grasp the relationship between cause and effect. Thanks to inductive reasoning, we are able to form nearly instantaneous beliefs and take action accordingly. However, Schulz writes, 'The distinctive thing about inductive reasoning is that it generates conclusions that aren't necessarily true. They are, instead, probabilistically true — which means they are possibly false.' Schulz recommends that we respond to the mistakes (or putative mistakes) of those around us with empathy and generosity and demand that our business and political leaders acknowledge and redress their errors rather than ignoring or denying them. 'Once we recognize that we do not err out of laziness, stupidity, or evil intent, we can liberate ourselves from the impossible burden of trying to be permanently right. We can take seriously the proposition that we could be in error, without deeming ourselves idiotic or unworthy.'"
Interesting way of looking at our failures. So... let's see if BP uses this to prove their genius.
I'm never wrong.
I thought I was once, but it turns out I wasn't.
The funny thing about that is your post wasn't all that funny. So you're even more wrong than you think.
To #ERR is human, to forgive divine.
http://alternatives.rzero.com/
that we could be in error, without deeming ourselves idiotic or unworthy."
i guess Schulz has never read a comment board
intellectual property law is philosophically incoherent. it is your moral duty to ignore it or sabotage it
If loving you is wrong, I don't want to be right!
"The average reporter we talk to is 27 years old......They literally know nothing." - Ben Rhodes
So that's why I feel smarter after staying at a Holiday Inn.
Indeed. In more ways than one.
Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
"There is no such thing as an absolute truth."
Is the above statement absolutely true?
and they were right, just look at how many times he was wrong!
Monstar L
You meant to say "Look at what happens in Japan when a major mistake is MADE and in the west".
What are you going to do now that I have pointed out that spelling error?
>>>When a politician decides to engage in 2 costly wars while lowering taxes for the rich
What about a politician that drives the national debt from 10.5 trillion (105,000 per US household, approximately) to 13 trillion (~$130,000 per) after only 1.5 years in office? Never has our debt grown this fast. Not even under Ronnie Raygun.
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>>>or when a majority of society elects politicians who repeatedly punish the poor and middle class while rewarding the rich
90% of income taxes are paid by the 1% richest earners. 99% are paid by the 10% richest. Yes I know - an inconvenient fact but also happens to be true (came direct from the IRS).
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>>>and then complain about not having enough money to support their expensive lifestyles, you can attribute that to stupidity.
Well on this one we agree.
"I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it." - historian Evelyn Beatrice Hall
Well fuck you too, Justin.
She is a woman. They aknowledge mistakes later than men.