I suppose that you can examine the intent, the different mechanisms of achieving the outcome and the outcome itself as surface differences. Orthogonally there a

I suppose that you can examine the intent, the different mechanisms of achieving the outcome and the outcome itself as surface differences. Orthogonally there are sets of beliefs about the nature of the experience by the entities undertaking the activity. I personally believe that I have a rich and diverse set of motivations and experiences within the process, and that this qualitatively separates confidence gaining and optimisation in a machine which does not have these enrichments into different categories. You may well argue that this is delusion and all I would do is offer to buy you a beer. But taking the features of the two things that can be observed and potentially agreed on I would say that confidence can be gained socially, often it is gained when the skill is sufficient - by which I mean that optimal skill is achieved and yet confidence is not in place - and confidence can be created in a situation where no skill exists. Confidence is subjective and yet absolute, where as optimisation is objective and by degree. I would talk more and buy that beer but there is a pretty girl over there who I like the look of a lot more, bye.