Jiro comments on The Joy of Bias - Less Wrong

14 Post author: estimator 09 June 2015 07:04PM

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Comment author: Jiro 12 June 2015 06:25:51PM 0 points [-]

Given that I am wrong, I would prefer being proven wrong to not being proven wrong. However, given a wrongness of unknown status, I would prefer not being proven wrong to being proven wrong.

Comment author: advael 12 June 2015 08:16:43PM 1 point [-]

I can't say I always find that to be true for myself. There are truths that I wish weren't true, and when I find that I was merely being overly pessimistic, that's usually a good thing. Even though I want my beliefs to reflect reality, that doesn't stop me from sometimes wishing certain beliefs I have weren't true, even if I still think that they are. It's possible that being wrong can be a good thing in and of itself, completely separate from it being good to find out that you're wrong, if you're wrong.

Comment author: Wes_W 12 June 2015 09:41:19PM *  0 points [-]

Given that I am wrong, I would prefer being proven wrong to not being proven wrong.

Yours is probably the central case, but "prove me wrong" and "I hope I'm wrong" aren't unheard-of sentiments. For example, a doctor giving a grim diagnosis. I think this can only (?) happen when the (perceived) value on the object level outweighs concerns about ego.

Comment author: OrphanWilde 12 June 2015 07:35:10PM 0 points [-]

Isn't all wrongness, from the perspective of the person to be proven wrong or not, of unknown status?