I think that EY’s problem with this point of view is a typical one that I find here at LW: a consideration of the rational thinker as loner in heroic mode, who is expected to ignore all contexts (social, environmental, whatever) that are not explicitly stated as part of the problem presentation.
On the other hand, these students were in a physics class, and the question is obviously not part of normal conversation.
Are you saying that in an environment for learning about- and discussing rationality, we should strive for a less-than-ideal rationality (that is, some form of irrationality) just because of practical contexts that people often run into and choose the easy way out of?
Would you become equally suspicious of the math teacher’s point of view if some person from a math problem buys 125 boxes with 6 watermelons each, since he won’t be able to handle that amount in most practical contexts?
I think that EY’s problem with this point of view is a typical one that I find here at LW: a consideration of the rational thinker as loner in heroic mode, who is expected to ignore all contexts (social, environmental, whatever) that are not explicitly stated as part of the problem presentation. On the other hand, these students were in a physics class, and the question is obviously not part of normal conversation.
Are you saying that in an environment for learning about- and discussing rationality, we should strive for a less-than-ideal rationality (that is, some form of irrationality) just because of practical contexts that people often run into and choose the easy way out of?
Would you become equally suspicious of the math teacher’s point of view if some person from a math problem buys 125 boxes with 6 watermelons each, since he won’t be able to handle that amount in most practical contexts?