army1987 comments on LW Women- Minimizing the Inferential Distance - Less Wrong

58 [deleted] 25 November 2012 11:33PM

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Comment author: [deleted] 28 November 2012 07:00:22PM 7 points [-]

In certain cases, it's evil (i.e. there should be an ethical injunction against it) because, due to corrupted mindware, certain people tend to overdo it (e.g., if they know that black people have a lower average IQ than white people, they'll consider a black person significantly stupider than a white person in the same situation even though the evidence race provides about intelligence is likely almost completely screened off by information about what they say, wear, and do).

Comment author: NancyLebovitz 07 December 2012 03:05:08PM 2 points [-]

That's not even the worst possibility-- a racist may resent black people who are smarter than they "ought" to be.

Comment author: [deleted] 08 December 2012 12:36:29AM 4 points [-]

One might argue that that's not even a version of “statistical reasoning” corrupted by cognitive biases, that's just being an asshole.

Comment author: NancyLebovitz 08 December 2012 02:41:28AM -1 points [-]

One might, but it's plausible that being an asshole and having thinking that's corrupted by emotional habits are entangled.

Comment author: [deleted] 08 December 2012 06:17:54PM 1 point [-]

I'd say “It's complicated.” Sometimes making someone less biased will make them more of a asshole.

BTW, I'm curious how Cognitive Reflection Test scores correlate with Big Five personality traits. I'd guess cbfvgvir pbeeryngvba jvgu Bcraarff naq Pbafpvragvbhfarff naq artngvir pbeeryngvba jvgu Arhebgvpvfz, ohg V unir ab vqrn nobhg Rkgebirefvba naq Nterrnoyrarff.

Comment author: fubarobfusco 08 December 2012 06:44:22PM -1 points [-]

"Being an asshole" is a description of effects, not causes. In this case, the person's assholy behavior might result from being insecure and angry, scapegoating other races for their insecurity and anger, having false beliefs about them, and responding to confusion with denial rather than doubt.