Well, you’re right that in the mental illness case my definition works badly, but I can’t think about a better precise definition right now (can you?); probably something like selecting a specific “sub-process” in brain which is related to the conscious experience, but it’s fuzzy and I’m not even sure that such separation is possible.
I think the correct intuitive definition of “locus of control” is “those things you can do if you want to”.
I have a feeling that it is a rephrasing of “things under your control”.
Causality is entirely about hypothetical interventions; to say “your way of thinking affects your IQ” is just to say that if I was to change your way of thinking, I could change your IQ.
Actually, I’m arguing that causal arrows are pointing in the opposite direction: if I was to change your IQ, I could change your way of thinking. The rest of article is about what happens if we assume IQ fixed (that somehow resembles Bayesian inference).
I’m arguing that the fuzzy-ish definition that corresponds to our everyday experience/usage is better than the crisp one that doesn’t.
Re IQ and “way of thinking”, I’m arguing they both affect each other, but neither is entirely under conscious control, so it’s a bit of a moot point.
Apropos the original point, under my usual circumstances (not malnourished, hanging out with smart people, reading and thinking about engaging, complex things that can be analyzed and have reasonable success measures, etc), my IQ is mostly not under my control. (Perhaps if I was more focused on measurements, nootropics, and getting enough sleep, I could increase my IQ a bit; but not very much, I think.) YMMV.
Well, you’re right that in the mental illness case my definition works badly, but I can’t think about a better precise definition right now (can you?); probably something like selecting a specific “sub-process” in brain which is related to the conscious experience, but it’s fuzzy and I’m not even sure that such separation is possible.
I have a feeling that it is a rephrasing of “things under your control”.
Actually, I’m arguing that causal arrows are pointing in the opposite direction: if I was to change your IQ, I could change your way of thinking. The rest of article is about what happens if we assume IQ fixed (that somehow resembles Bayesian inference).
I’m arguing that the fuzzy-ish definition that corresponds to our everyday experience/usage is better than the crisp one that doesn’t.
Re IQ and “way of thinking”, I’m arguing they both affect each other, but neither is entirely under conscious control, so it’s a bit of a moot point.
Apropos the original point, under my usual circumstances (not malnourished, hanging out with smart people, reading and thinking about engaging, complex things that can be analyzed and have reasonable success measures, etc), my IQ is mostly not under my control. (Perhaps if I was more focused on measurements, nootropics, and getting enough sleep, I could increase my IQ a bit; but not very much, I think.) YMMV.