Just to begin with, the above is a terrible way to structure an inductive argument about something as variable has human behavior. Obviously few people are “completely incapable of good decisions or are the Chosen Of God” and no important decisions in life are “meaningless”. It is, however, the case that most decisions don’t matter all that much and that, when they do, people usual do a pretty good job without special training.
But the real issue that you’re missing is opportunity cost. Lots of people don’t know how to read or do arithmetic. Lots of people can’t manage personal finances. Lots of people need more training to get a better job. Lots of people suffer from addiction. Lots of people don’t have significant chunks of free time. Lots of people have children to raise. Almost everyone could benefit from learning something but many people either do not have the time or would benefit far more from learning a particular skill or trade rather than Bayesian math and how to identify cognitive biases.
Almost everyone could benefit from learning something but many people either do not have the time or would benefit far more from learning a particular skill or trade rather than Bayesian math and how to identify cognitive biases.
I’m not disagreeing with this at all. But given the option of teaching someone nothing or teaching them this? I think it’s a net gain for them to learn how to change their mind. And I think most people have room in their life to pretty easily be casually taught a simple skill like this, or at least the basics. I’ve been teaching it as part of casual conversations with my roommate just because I enjoy talking about it.
But given the option of teaching someone nothing or teaching them this?
But that isn’t the question.
I think it’s a net gain for them to learn how to change their mind.
I think it is a net gain for a person to learn the arguments of Christian apologetics, that doesn’t mean it is worthwhile for everyone to learn the arguments of Christian apologetics. Time is a limited resource.
I’ve taught aspects of rationality to lots of people because I like talking about it too. But my friends and family have learned it as a side effect of doing something they would be doing anyway, having interesting conversations with me. Some of them are interested in things like cognitive biases and learn on their own. But we don’t yet have anything here that makes dramatic differences in people’s lives such that it is important they spend precious resources on learning it.
ETA: That was a bit brisk of me. I think we just have different definitions of “worthwhile”. :-)
Just to begin with, the above is a terrible way to structure an inductive argument about something as variable has human behavior. Obviously few people are “completely incapable of good decisions or are the Chosen Of God” and no important decisions in life are “meaningless”. It is, however, the case that most decisions don’t matter all that much and that, when they do, people usual do a pretty good job without special training.
But the real issue that you’re missing is opportunity cost. Lots of people don’t know how to read or do arithmetic. Lots of people can’t manage personal finances. Lots of people need more training to get a better job. Lots of people suffer from addiction. Lots of people don’t have significant chunks of free time. Lots of people have children to raise. Almost everyone could benefit from learning something but many people either do not have the time or would benefit far more from learning a particular skill or trade rather than Bayesian math and how to identify cognitive biases.
I’m not disagreeing with this at all. But given the option of teaching someone nothing or teaching them this? I think it’s a net gain for them to learn how to change their mind. And I think most people have room in their life to pretty easily be casually taught a simple skill like this, or at least the basics. I’ve been teaching it as part of casual conversations with my roommate just because I enjoy talking about it.
But that isn’t the question.
I think it is a net gain for a person to learn the arguments of Christian apologetics, that doesn’t mean it is worthwhile for everyone to learn the arguments of Christian apologetics. Time is a limited resource.
I’ve taught aspects of rationality to lots of people because I like talking about it too. But my friends and family have learned it as a side effect of doing something they would be doing anyway, having interesting conversations with me. Some of them are interested in things like cognitive biases and learn on their own. But we don’t yet have anything here that makes dramatic differences in people’s lives such that it is important they spend precious resources on learning it.
ETA: That was a bit brisk of me. I think we just have different definitions of “worthwhile”. :-)