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"I'm sure it would be very difficult to hold on to beliefs devoid of reason in that case..." No offense but I literally laughed out loud when I got to that par

"I'm sure it would be very difficult to hold on to beliefs devoid of reason in that case..." No offense but I literally laughed out loud when I got to that part. Reminds me of what people said about the internet. Doesn't that comparison lend credence to the notion that greater access to information might often lead to a retreat into comforting echo chambers? That greater ease of communication might often increase the vectors for infection for unreason?

sebringj 10y ago
The difference being...perception right? Currently we have a huge amount of information but the same limits of comprehension. We didn't suddenly get new anatomy when the internet came online. Its apples and oranges. If you are able to understand things at great depth, you are able to understand information at great depth and know the difference between bunk and not. Myths and legend-type information becomes harder to rationalize as truth because the origins of it do not result in a high probability of accuracy in which you are highly capable at that point to determine in a sub-microsecond.
Broken_Hippo 10y ago
To be fair, we are still fairly early on with this stuff. Yes, folks have their echo chambers. But alternatively, perhaps we simply teach the new generation better critical thinking skills, introduce uncomfortable viewpoints, and how to better not fall for tricks such as "fake news". Just because we have problems with echo chambers now doesn't mean that we will in the future. Heck, in a way, the internet is teaching us about our echo chambers - it isn't a new phenomenom (families and community provided it for us), but having a choice in one's echo chamber really is.
- sebringj 10y ago
  Ideally, I agree with you. The other part of me sees humanity in a transition period of having all of this amazing information at its fingertips but not the smarts to use it, at least for the common person. We need a brain boost to keep up and that could just be the AI we merge with at some point or some genetic/biological enhancement or combination of those, otherwise, I just feel we peaked as a world and will just go up and down until that happens.

sebringj 10y ago

The difference being...perception right? Currently we have a huge amount of information but the same limits of comprehension. We didn't suddenly get new anatomy when the internet came online. Its apples and oranges. If you are able to understand things at great depth, you are able to understand information at great depth and know the difference between bunk and not. Myths and legend-type information becomes harder to rationalize as truth because the origins of it do not result in a high probability of accuracy in which you are highly capable at that point to determine in a sub-microsecond.

Broken_Hippo 10y ago

To be fair, we are still fairly early on with this stuff. Yes, folks have their echo chambers. But alternatively, perhaps we simply teach the new generation better critical thinking skills, introduce uncomfortable viewpoints, and how to better not fall for tricks such as "fake news". Just because we have problems with echo chambers now doesn't mean that we will in the future. Heck, in a way, the internet is teaching us about our echo chambers - it isn't a new phenomenom (families and community provided it for us), but having a choice in one's echo chamber really is.

sebringj 10y ago
Ideally, I agree with you. The other part of me sees humanity in a transition period of having all of this amazing information at its fingertips but not the smarts to use it, at least for the common person. We need a brain boost to keep up and that could just be the AI we merge with at some point or some genetic/biological enhancement or combination of those, otherwise, I just feel we peaked as a world and will just go up and down until that happens.