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How do you notice when you're rationalizing? — LessWrong

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How do you notice when you're rationalizing?

2nd Mar 2012

1 min read

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How do you notice when you're rationalizing? Like, what *actually* tips you off, in real life?

I've listed my cues below; please add your own (one idea per comment), and upvote the comments that you either: (a) use; or (b) will now try using.

I'll be using this list in a trial rationality seminar on Wednesday; it also sounds useful in general.

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Giles14y20

Cue: I feel low status. In low status mode, I feel I'm on the defensive and I have something to prove. In high status mode, I think there are two effects which help avoid rationalization:

If I feel confident in what I'm saying, then I can entertain the opposing arguments because I don't feel I have anything to fear from them
If I feel high status, I feel less afraid of being forced to change my mind

Edit: ah, Vladimir_Nesov said something similar on the other thread

Mentioned in

9How do you notice when you're procrastinating?