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XiXiDu comments on Explained: Gödel's theorem and the Banach-Tarski Paradox - Less Wrong Discussion
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I know. But I thought it would be better than nothing. Such informal explanations also help to overcome the widespread belief that you need to be a genius to approach those problems.
Fair point, but I think the aforementioned danger of misunderstanding is more harmful than learned helplessness with respect to math is. I'd rather people not know the theorem than misunderstand it and use said misunderstanding to wreak epistemic violence.
A list of habitually abused scientific concepts in popular culture?
Add your own!
Scientifically, I suggest most of psychology and psychiatry (I'm looking at you, Law & Order: SVU). In a similar vein is programming/hacking (e.g. 24, any crime drama).
In popular culture? What misunderstandings of it have you seen?
Hmm, not popular culture. Certainly arguing with people purveying nonsense as a form of the argument "you can't be certain therefore I might be right."
Cryptography. Like, all of it.
But they do so in the wrong way, but conveying a second misconception that these problems can be easily understood without bothering actually study much maths.