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.
People persistently disagreeing with me is one sign.
The more numerous they are, the smarter they are, and the more coherent-sounding their arguments, the more likely it is that there's a problem at my end.
Of course, I often ignore such signals. For example, I still think that global warming is good, that our distant ancestors were probably clay minerals, that memetics is cool, that there will be a memetic takeover - and lots of other strange things.