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simplicio comments on Rationality Quotes January 2013 - Less Wrong
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A heuristic is a "rule of thumb," used because it is computationally cheap for a human brain and returns the right answer most of the time.
Analytical thinking uses heuristics, but is distinctive in ALSO using propositional logic, probabilistic reasoning, and mathematics - in other words, exceptionless, normatively correct modes of reasoning (insofar as they are done well) that explicitly state their assumptions and "show the work." So there is a real qualitative difference.
Propositional logic is made of many very simple steps, though.
Sure. The point is that "A->B; A, therefore B" is necessarily valid.
Unlike, say, "the risk of something happening is proportional to the number of times I've heard it mentioned."
Calling logic a set of heuristics dissolves a useful semantic distinction between normatively correct reasoning and mere rules of thumb, even if you can put the two on a spectrum.
Ohh, I agree. I just don't think that there is a corresponding neurological distinction. (Original quote was about evolution).