All of Alex's Comments + Replies

Alex10

I would say that being rational - as Robin defined it: more "rational" means better believing what is true, given one's limited info and analysis resources - might, but should not, and does not necessarily harm you.

How can rationality help you win? Maybe:

  1. It can help you win to the extent that its lessons contribute to the winning process.
  2. In terms of it hindering you, it may hinder you if it interferes with this process, but it shouldn't (you're doing something wrong), because it's about matching your map of reality closer to the territory, all
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Alex70

Why are interpersonal relationships out? I think rationality can help a great deal here.

2PhilGoetz
Can you cite specific examples which exhibit rationality, and not just self-control? (eg "I should not lose my temper or get drunk so often" is not a rationality issue.) I don't doubt you; I'd just like specific examples for discussion before I give an up-vote. :)
1MichaelVassar
Hell yes.
2cousin_it
This sentence was a nod to Robin's point that believing certain falsehoods may be socially desirable, and wrongly estimating one's attractiveness etc. may be desirable romantically.
Alex20

Excellent article and topic. I suffer from this. My main problem (which is merely an excuse) is that there is a difference between what I think I want to do and what my body and mind actually wants to do when it's doing the things I tell it to do. Multiple selves become evident when this happens. The self that has planned the actions, and the self that - in doing those actions - gives up to do other (more fun) things. My approach is to make successive changes to the self who does those actions that 'I' plan, by trying to implement rules for him to follow. But I find it a constant uphill struggle, because he always outsmarts me.

1Aurini
Would you mind expanding on this?