Sean Carroll's Mindscape: Science, Society, Philosophy, Culture, Arts, and Ideas 143 | Julia Galef on Openness, Bias, and Rationality
13 snips
Apr 19, 2021 
Julia Galef, a writer and host of the Rationally Speaking podcast, champions rationality and promotes the 'scout mindset'—an open-minded approach to understanding the world. She contrasts this with the 'soldier mindset' which focuses on goal-oriented beliefs. Discussing topics like Bayesian reasoning and its impact on decision-making, Galef highlights the challenge of political identities in shaping beliefs about science. She emphasizes the importance of intellectual honesty and openness in evaluating ideas, advocating for critical thinking in navigating our complex social landscape.
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Rationality's Value
- While most people claim to value rationality, truly embodying it is challenging.
- Julia Galef emphasizes the importance of striving for truth-seeking, even if perfect rationality is unattainable.
Professed vs. Practiced Rationality
- Few people explicitly admit to being irrational, though many fall short of their professed rationality.
- Some reject rationality due to postmodernist beliefs or a perceived nobility in unwavering conviction.
Bayesian Reasoning in Practice
- Bayesian reasoning involves updating beliefs based on evidence, but people often fail to apply it consistently.
- A common mistake is accounting for evidence supporting a belief while ignoring contradictory evidence.
