Open Thread June 2010, Part 4

Will_Newsome

This thread is for the discussion of Less Wrong topics that have not appeared in recent posts. If a discussion gets unwieldy, celebrate by turning it into a top-level post.

This thread brought to you by quantum immortality.

This thread is for the discussion of Less Wrong topics that have not appeared in recent posts. If a discussion gets unwieldy, celebrate by turning it into a top-level post.

This thread brought to you by quantum immortality.

Do you mean do say that people of ordinary intelligence, as a general rule, don't actually believe whatever it is they say they believe, but instead just parrot what those around them say? You might be right. I think I need to find a way to re-immerse myself in a crowd of people of average intelligence; it's been far too long, and my predictive/descriptive powers for such people are fraying.

Note that none of this is sarcasm; this comment is entirely sincere.

There's certainly evidence that intelligent people are more likely to have more coherent worldviews. For example, the GSS data shows that higher vocabulary is associated with more extreme political views to either end of the traditional political spectrum. There's similar research for IQ scores but I don't have a citation for that.

6Douglas_Knight16y

Wedrifid only said "potential"; most people, smart or not, behave as you say. And I would expand "delusion" to 'belief": being smart is correlated with being influenced by beliefs, true or false. That people act on beliefs or have at all coherent world-views is the most dangerous widespread delusion. ("The world is mad.") Immersing yourself in a crowd of average intelligence might help you see this, but I rather doubt that your associates act on their beliefs.

2wedrifid16y

I differentiate between 'actually believe' and 'act as if they are an agent with the belief that'. All people mostly do the latter but high IQ people are somewhat more likely to let 'actual beliefs' interfere with their lives.