What causes Delusion? The prevailing view is that people adopt false beliefs because they’re too stupid or ignorant to grasp the truth. But just as often, the opposite is true: many delusions prey not on dim minds but on bright ones. And this has serious implications for education, society, and you personally.
In this video in collaboration with Gurwinder, we explore the reasons why intelligent people believe irrational things and what can be done to avoid the allure of delusion.
- Intelligent people are more prone to ideological biases and motivated reasoning than less intelligent people. They are better able to rationalize beliefs they want to hold.
- Intelligence evolved not as a tool for pursuing objective truth, but for pursuing personal well-being, social status, belonging, etc. This can lead people to adopt "fashionably irrational beliefs" to increase status.
- Elite academic institutions train students to win arguments rather than discern truth, creating a class of "master debaters" skilled at motivated reasoning who go on to influential careers.
- Fields like fat studies and gender studies were created through dubious but persuasive arguments to normalize controversial views, spreading irrational beliefs through academia.
- Wokeism spread from academia to the mainstream by couching opinions as knowledge through academic journals and then social media. However, its goals are social signaling, not truth or justice.
- Motivated reasoning is not due to intelligence itself but how intelligence is used to pursue truth or justify preferences. Curiosity and humility can direct intelligence toward truth.
- Learning about biases may backfire by allowing selective application. Developing character through curiosity and humility is more effective than just increasing knowledge.
- Defining self-worth by willingness to learn, not reasoning ability, promotes open-mindedness over clinging to beliefs.
- Constant self-questioning and willingness to change views builds trust in one's thoughts over time.
- Pursuing curiosity makes one humble, and humility makes one curious - an effective combination for overcoming biases.
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[ 3.1 ms ] story [ 18.8 ms ] threadIn this video in collaboration with Gurwinder, we explore the reasons why intelligent people believe irrational things and what can be done to avoid the allure of delusion.
- Intelligent people are more prone to ideological biases and motivated reasoning than less intelligent people. They are better able to rationalize beliefs they want to hold.
- Intelligence evolved not as a tool for pursuing objective truth, but for pursuing personal well-being, social status, belonging, etc. This can lead people to adopt "fashionably irrational beliefs" to increase status.
- Elite academic institutions train students to win arguments rather than discern truth, creating a class of "master debaters" skilled at motivated reasoning who go on to influential careers.
- Fields like fat studies and gender studies were created through dubious but persuasive arguments to normalize controversial views, spreading irrational beliefs through academia.
- Wokeism spread from academia to the mainstream by couching opinions as knowledge through academic journals and then social media. However, its goals are social signaling, not truth or justice.
- Motivated reasoning is not due to intelligence itself but how intelligence is used to pursue truth or justify preferences. Curiosity and humility can direct intelligence toward truth.
- Learning about biases may backfire by allowing selective application. Developing character through curiosity and humility is more effective than just increasing knowledge.
- Defining self-worth by willingness to learn, not reasoning ability, promotes open-mindedness over clinging to beliefs.
- Constant self-questioning and willingness to change views builds trust in one's thoughts over time.
- Pursuing curiosity makes one humble, and humility makes one curious - an effective combination for overcoming biases.