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Tangentially related, I was reading about the negative aspects of pursuing high self-control[1], which could perhaps equate to overthinking. The text also inclu

Tangentially related, I was reading about the negative aspects of pursuing high self-control[1], which could perhaps equate to overthinking. The text also includes links to research purporting the situations where relying on intuition is, perhaps counterintuitively, more advantageous than rationality. Also quasi-related, a while back there was an article on HN about the human brain's Bayesian like processes[2], which again seem to form the basis of intuitive decision making. [1] https://www.researchgate.net/publication/321621803_The_Intricacies_of_the_Pursuit_of_Higher_Self-Control https://www.researchgate.net/publication/321621803_The_Intri... [2] https://rss.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1740-9713.2016.00935.x https://rss.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1740-...?

cultus 8y ago
The idea of a brain as doing Bayesian inference is pretty compelling. It makes sense evolution would eventually produce an an algorithm that approximates Bayesian inference, since the optimal decision is always found by maximizing expected utility over the Bayesian posterior. I can't find the reference, but I have also read there is evidence that "gut" or intuitive decision making is also informed by information that the conscious mind does not have access to.
knrz 8y ago
Odd, I find the concept of high self-control to _include_ the ability to exercise no-mind at will. That is, high self-control is not limited to exercising control of your "rational" (System 2), but rather involves a Zen-like perspective over System 1 & System 2. No mind is both, yet neither. I've had what seems like my greatest awakening this past week. Practice gets you somewhere, but I can't authoritatively say "where" is. Like some other commenter mentioned, I've found myself in an intentioned mushin [0] state. This morning I was off the wagon a bit, but now I'm back. Can't wait to see what I accomplish with this focus ;) [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mushin_(mental_state) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mushin_(mental_state)

cultus 8y ago

The idea of a brain as doing Bayesian inference is pretty compelling. It makes sense evolution would eventually produce an an algorithm that approximates Bayesian inference, since the optimal decision is always found by maximizing expected utility over the Bayesian posterior. I can't find the reference, but I have also read there is evidence that "gut" or intuitive decision making is also informed by information that the conscious mind does not have access to.

knrz 8y ago

Odd, I find the concept of high self-control to _include_ the ability to exercise no-mind at will. That is, high self-control is not limited to exercising control of your "rational" (System 2), but rather involves a Zen-like perspective over System 1 & System 2. No mind is both, yet neither. I've had what seems like my greatest awakening this past week. Practice gets you somewhere, but I can't authoritatively say "where" is. Like some other commenter mentioned, I've found myself in an intentioned mushin [0] state. This morning I was off the wagon a bit, but now I'm back. Can't wait to see what I accomplish with this focus ;) [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mushin_(mental_state) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mushin_(mental_state)