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Why You Believe The Things You Do

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Summary

This article explores the concept that what we believe to be true is heavily influenced by how much we want it to be true. It cites examples such as the desperation of a father in Yemen who used a folk remedy to try and help his sick son, and people during the Great Plague of London who were more willing to believe in prophecies and astrological conjurations than ever before. It also discusses how we tend to remember the details of events that make good stories and fit our existing views, and how it is far easier to fool ourselves into believing a falsehood than admit a mistake. It concludes by stating that beliefs are not just about what we know, but also social signals that offer clues about our confidence and intelligence.

Q&As

What is Gibson's Law?
Gibson's Law is a thing in the legal world which states that "For every PhD there is an equal and opposite PhD".

What are the leveling and sharpening effects in memory?
The leveling and sharpening effects in memory are when people tend to emphasize some memories (sharpening) and discard others (leveling) when recalling past events.

What does Dee Hock mean when he says "We are built with an almost infinite capacity to believe things because the beliefs are advantageous for us to hold, rather than because they are even remotely related to the truth"?
Dee Hock means that people are willing to believe things that are advantageous for them to hold, even if they are not related to the truth.

What are the two reasons people struggle to change their mind?
The two reasons people struggle to change their mind are that changing their mind can make them feel like all the effort they put into establishing their previous beliefs was wasted, and that when they change their mind, it can be hard to take the new belief seriously.

What does Max Tegmark mean when he says "The core of a scientific lifestyle is to change your mind when faced with information that disagrees with your views"?
Max Tegmark means that people should be willing to change their mind when faced with information that disagrees with their views, and to avoid intellectual inertia.

AI Comments

👍 This article is incredibly insightful and provides great insight into the nature of beliefs and how they are shaped. It is well-written and offers an informative and thought-provoking perspective.

👎 This article is too long-winded and doesn't offer any actionable advice. It's just a bunch of philosophical musings that don't provide any real guidance.

AI Discussion

Me: It's about why we believe the things we do. It talks about how our beliefs are heavily influenced by our needs, wants, and desires. It also talks about how memories of past experiences can distort our beliefs and how we tend to latch onto beliefs that are advantageous to us, even if they don't necessarily align with reality.

Friend: Wow, that's really interesting. It makes a lot of sense. It's no wonder people can be so divided on certain issues when everyone has their own unique set of experiences that shape their beliefs.

Me: Absolutely. It also highlights the importance of being open to changing our beliefs when we are presented with new evidence or information. We should be willing to challenge our existing beliefs and be willing to accept that we may have been wrong about something. That can be hard to do, but it's necessary if we want to be open to learning new things and growing.

Action items

Take time to reflect on your own beliefs and consider how much you want them to be true.
Make an effort to seek out evidence that contradicts your beliefs and be open to changing your mind.
Challenge yourself to think critically and question the beliefs of others, especially those in positions of authority.

Technical terms

Folk remedy: A traditional remedy or treatment for a particular illness or ailment, often passed down through generations.
Great Plague of London: A major epidemic of bubonic plague that occurred in London, England, in 1665–1666.
Gibson's Law: A legal principle that states that for every PhD there is an equal and opposite PhD.
Leveling and sharpening effects in memory: A psychological concept that states that when recalling a past event, people tend to emphasize some memories (sharpening) and discard others (leveling).
Max Tegmark: A Swedish-American physicist and cosmologist.
Richard Feynman: An American theoretical physicist, known for his work in the path integral formulation of quantum mechanics, the theory of quantum electrodynamics, and the physics of the superfluidity of supercooled liquid helium.