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wedrifid comments on People who "don't rationalize"? [Help Rationality Group figure it out] - Less Wrong Discussion

12 Post author: Mercurial 02 March 2012 11:38PM

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Comment author: Vladimir_Nesov 03 March 2012 12:25:22AM *  7 points [-]

I don't think I rationalize to any significant extent. Even the examples I came up with for Anna's thread concern inefficient allocation of attention and using zero-information arguments, not something specifically directed to defense of a position. I admit being wrong or confused on simple things, sometimes incorrectly (so that I have to go back to embrace a momentarily-rejected position). It's possible I'm completely incapable of noticing rationalization and would need a new basic skill to fix that, but doesn't seem very likely.

(Alternatively, perhaps "rationalization" needs to be unpacked a bit, so that problems like those in the examples I referred to above can find a place in that notion. As it is, they seem more like flaws in understanding unbiased with respect to a favored conclusion, unless that conclusion is to be selected in the hindsight.)

Comment author: wedrifid 16 March 2012 03:23:32AM 0 points [-]

I don't think I rationalize to any significant extent.

I recall you (doing what can most plausibly be described as) rationalizing at times. But perhaps you are right about the 'unpacking' thing. I might be thinking of things entirely different to those that Anna mentioned.

Comment author: Vladimir_Nesov 16 March 2012 09:32:54AM 3 points [-]

I'd be grateful for specific examples.