There are known knowns; there are things we know we know.
We also know there are known unknowns; that is to say we know there are some things we do not know.
But there are also unknown unknowns – the ones we don’t know we don’t know.
The same thing occurs when lay audiences read books about thinking errors. They understand the errors, but don’t notice the trick – that simply learning about them is not enough. Too often, readers finish popular books on decision making with the false conviction that they will decide better. They are the equivalent of Edwards’ competition – the so-called best of the best who miss the ruse.
The overlooked reason is that there are two components to each bias. The first is the phenomenon itself. Confirmation bias, for example, is your tendency to seek out confirmation information while ignoring everything else. The second is the belief that everyone else is susceptible to thinking errors, but not you. This itself is a bias – bias blind spot – a “meta bias” inherent in all biases that blinds you from your errors.
I, on the other hand, have recognized that I was born guilty of original bias, and have thus accepted λογική into my heart as my savior, so this doesn’t apply to me anymore. Do you have a few minutes? If I could come in, I’d like to talk to you some more about λογική…
May 18, 2013 @ 6:42 pm
Bless me λογική, for I have sinned.
May 18, 2013 @ 11:35 pm
Go forth, my son, and analyze.
May 20, 2013 @ 1:23 pm
But I'm afraid. I have… urges. I fantasize about committing unspeakable acts… fallacies and rationalizations. I know it's wrong, but it feels so good.