Friday, January 13, 2012

Edward Harrison on cognitive bias, ideology, opinion and argumentation


The last time I mentioned this topic was when I was explaining that researchers have postulated that "reasoning was not designed to pursue the truth. Reasoning was designed by evolution to help us win arguments." So its not about the "facts" per se but rather positioning the facts in a light that advances your own agenda or ideas.
Read the rest at Credit Writedowns
The Sovereign Debt Crisis and Confirmation Bias
by Edward Harrison
My prediction: As the sovereign debt crisis deteriorates [in the EZ], it is these kinds of world view conflicts which will make nationalism a very potent force to deal with.
P.S. – Last night, a friend from college turned me on to the You Are Not So Smart book. I am reading it now. Highly recommended.
Here is the You are not so smart website. Good cognitive resource.

2 comments:

Senexx said...

Checked out the website, my own individual reaction to a few posts - Yes I know that (often because I've previously reached the same conclusion) and then I read the Ben Franklin Effect post which shows why there can be a rather large negative reaction to MMT.

I could even postulate things about being American in this light as well. So when "socialist" things come along, the response is pavlovian.

Tom Hickey said...

Right, it's an ideological challenge with a predictable reaction. Most people are completely unaware it is ideological because they conflate their worldview (ideology) with reality.

How did that worldview- ideology arise? Was it imposed culturally through constant propaganda that passes for education and news, deeply establishing certain neural pathways and shutting down others?