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“Say that for most articles you read, you go through this process: * You read it. * You’re convinced that it’s true. * You search for criticisms. * They are

“Say that for most articles you read, you go through this process: * You read it. * You’re convinced that it’s true. * You search for criticisms. * They are devastating, so you no longer think the article is true.” 9/10 times on HN and I love you all for it. (Well maybe a bit less but I certainly have shared articles and read the HN comments afterwards and come to regret sharing)

kqr 5y ago
Be careful about stopping there. You can often find devastating criticism of the criticism too! I don't remember who -- maybe Scott Alexander -- brought this up in the context of saying that maybe intelligent people don't suffer enough from confirmation bias. Intelligent people are so ready to drop their pre-existing beliefs in the face of good arguments that what determines their opinion in the end is not necessarily truth, but at which point they stopped reading criticisms of criticisms of criticisms of criticisms of the original thesis. With a tiny bit more confirmation bias, intelligent people might be slightly more inclined to stick with popular opinion, and their accuracy might improve as a result.
- zwegner 5y ago
  This maybe isn't what you're referring to, but here's an old Scott Alexander post on this topic, "Epistemic Learned Helplessness": https://web.archive.org/web/20170329000721/http://squid314.livejournal.com/350090.html https://web.archive.org/web/20170329000721/http://squid314.l... (using a web archive link since the current page tries to force a login)
- teekert 5y ago
  Hmm, and what effect does being aware of this have?
renewiltord 5y ago
The error here is that the criticisms may be erroneous. You cannot whipsaw around a conclusion with increasing amplitude. This is common on HN where authors are posted without being informed and it is not uncommon for someone who lacks the knowledge and ability to understand the sophisticated position to 'debunk' something that is nonetheless true. Then others like them pile on to the thing and everyone has concluded that the thing is false merely out of a lack of knowledge and intelligence. An illustrated representation https://i.imgur.com/xyoCO9g.png https://i.imgur.com/xyoCO9g.png Orubyq nf V hfr gur zrzr abg nf vg vf zrnag, ohg vagragvbanyyl. Fhpu frys-ersrerapr.

kqr 5y ago

Be careful about stopping there. You can often find devastating criticism of the criticism too! I don't remember who -- maybe Scott Alexander -- brought this up in the context of saying that maybe intelligent people don't suffer enough from confirmation bias. Intelligent people are so ready to drop their pre-existing beliefs in the face of good arguments that what determines their opinion in the end is not necessarily truth, but at which point they stopped reading criticisms of criticisms of criticisms of criticisms of the original thesis. With a tiny bit more confirmation bias, intelligent people might be slightly more inclined to stick with popular opinion, and their accuracy might improve as a result.

zwegner 5y ago
This maybe isn't what you're referring to, but here's an old Scott Alexander post on this topic, "Epistemic Learned Helplessness": https://web.archive.org/web/20170329000721/http://squid314.livejournal.com/350090.html https://web.archive.org/web/20170329000721/http://squid314.l... (using a web archive link since the current page tries to force a login)
teekert 5y ago
Hmm, and what effect does being aware of this have?

renewiltord 5y ago

The error here is that the criticisms may be erroneous. You cannot whipsaw around a conclusion with increasing amplitude. This is common on HN where authors are posted without being informed and it is not uncommon for someone who lacks the knowledge and ability to understand the sophisticated position to 'debunk' something that is nonetheless true. Then others like them pile on to the thing and everyone has concluded that the thing is false merely out of a lack of knowledge and intelligence. An illustrated representation https://i.imgur.com/xyoCO9g.png https://i.imgur.com/xyoCO9g.png Orubyq nf V hfr gur zrzr abg nf vg vf zrnag, ohg vagragvbanyyl. Fhpu frys-ersrerapr.