Everybody is a member of various groups. For example, I consider myself as a member of Aristotelians, who prefer to speculate about the solution of a problem, then to conduct an experiment. Galileo is one of us because he logically proved how the Apollo 15 feather-hammer experiment will pan out. But those pesky experimentalists see Galileo as one of them too, since he conducted several crucial experiments as well. I have never met Galileo, they have never met Galileo, still, we chart our groups this way.
This rather bizarre example illustrates two such perceived groups. There are a billion at least such divisions (imaginary or not) out there. And some people consider themselves as members of some. Rightly or wrongly, doesn’t matter.
And then they judge what some high-status members of their group would say about the particular Quantum Mechanics conundrum. Then, they side with him about that.
Almost nobody actually ponders what the Hell is really going on with the Schrodinger’s poor cat. Almost nobody.
Siding with some prominent member of your (perceived) tribe is a proxy for the thinking about it. Even if you don’t see this high-status person named Heisenberg a lot, you side with him.
Most problems are not that deep. Like whether or not Antarctica is currently melting. People still don’t have their opinions about this, but just side either with Al Gore, either with me. Well, they side with me only incidentally, they don’t know that I exist. They know that lord Monckton exists and they maybe side with him. So they think Antarctica is melting very slowly, if at all.
If I tell you Antarctica is increasing its snow cover, you may be nerd enough to either believe me after some calculations … either be nerd enough to prove me wrong. Doesn’t matter which.
But most likely you will go to either Al Gore’s either to lord Monckton’s side. Even though you don’t meet with those two very frequently.
And then they judge what some high-status members of their group would say about the particular Quantum Mechanics conundrum. Then, they side with him about that.
Almost nobody actually ponders what the Hell is really going on with the Schrodinger’s poor cat. Almost nobody.
I find it harder to reason about the question “what would high status people in group X say about Schrodinger’s cat?” than about the question “based on what I understand about QM, what would happen to Schrodinger’s cat?”. I admit that I suck at modelling other people, but how many people are actually good at it?
Not to say that belief signalling doesn’t happen. After all in many cases you just know what the high status people say since they, well, said it.
I admit that I suck at modeling other people, but how many people are actually good at it?
Many, many times more people are good at judging other people than at pondering QM (or any other) conundrums. Even if they are not especially good psychologists, they suck in QM even more.
Sure, everyone has certain groups that they imagine themselves as members of. But if they don’t actually interact with those people, this is more a question of an imaginary tribe and imaginary status, not a real tribe or real status.
Which tribe do you consider “real”? Those, you have a physical paper to prove your membership are only a few of them. Others are pretty undefined, but who cares?
I am not talking about pieces of paper. I am talking about people you see and talk to face to face, as commonly happened and still happens in real tribal environments.
Everybody is a member of various groups. For example, I consider myself as a member of Aristotelians, who prefer to speculate about the solution of a problem, then to conduct an experiment. Galileo is one of us because he logically proved how the Apollo 15 feather-hammer experiment will pan out. But those pesky experimentalists see Galileo as one of them too, since he conducted several crucial experiments as well. I have never met Galileo, they have never met Galileo, still, we chart our groups this way.
This rather bizarre example illustrates two such perceived groups. There are a billion at least such divisions (imaginary or not) out there. And some people consider themselves as members of some. Rightly or wrongly, doesn’t matter.
And then they judge what some high-status members of their group would say about the particular Quantum Mechanics conundrum. Then, they side with him about that.
Almost nobody actually ponders what the Hell is really going on with the Schrodinger’s poor cat. Almost nobody.
Siding with some prominent member of your (perceived) tribe is a proxy for the thinking about it. Even if you don’t see this high-status person named Heisenberg a lot, you side with him.
Most problems are not that deep. Like whether or not Antarctica is currently melting. People still don’t have their opinions about this, but just side either with Al Gore, either with me. Well, they side with me only incidentally, they don’t know that I exist. They know that lord Monckton exists and they maybe side with him. So they think Antarctica is melting very slowly, if at all.
If I tell you Antarctica is increasing its snow cover, you may be nerd enough to either believe me after some calculations … either be nerd enough to prove me wrong. Doesn’t matter which.
But most likely you will go to either Al Gore’s either to lord Monckton’s side. Even though you don’t meet with those two very frequently.
I find it harder to reason about the question “what would high status people in group X say about Schrodinger’s cat?” than about the question “based on what I understand about QM, what would happen to Schrodinger’s cat?”. I admit that I suck at modelling other people, but how many people are actually good at it?
Not to say that belief signalling doesn’t happen. After all in many cases you just know what the high status people say since they, well, said it.
Many, many times more people are good at judging other people than at pondering QM (or any other) conundrums. Even if they are not especially good psychologists, they suck in QM even more.
Sure, everyone has certain groups that they imagine themselves as members of. But if they don’t actually interact with those people, this is more a question of an imaginary tribe and imaginary status, not a real tribe or real status.
Which tribe do you consider “real”? Those, you have a physical paper to prove your membership are only a few of them. Others are pretty undefined, but who cares?
I am not talking about pieces of paper. I am talking about people you see and talk to face to face, as commonly happened and still happens in real tribal environments.