EconTalk In Defense of Intuition (with Gerd Gigerenzer)
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Dec 29, 2025 
Join Gerd Gigerenzer, a leading psychologist and director at the Max Planck Institute, as he dives into the fascinating world of intuition. He challenges traditional views that pit intuition against reason, arguing instead for their collaboration. Gigerenzer introduces the concept of the 'bias bias' and critiques the overemphasis on irrationality. He also discusses the limitations of AI compared to human intuition, the importance of risk literacy, and the need for educational boosting over paternalistic nudging in decision-making.
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Intuition And Deliberation Cooperate
- Intuition is a fast, experience-based feeling that guides decisions before conscious reasoning kicks in.
- Gerd Gigerenzer argues intuition and deliberate thought cooperate rather than oppose each other.
AI Is Not Human Intuition
- Deep neural networks differ fundamentally from human intelligence and can't replicate unconscious skills easily.
- Gigerenzer cautions against religious faith that current AI will solve complex social or uncertain problems.
The 'Bias Bias' Problem
- The 'bias bias' is the tendency to see cognitive biases everywhere and blame people instead of researchers.
- Gigerenzer emphasizes ecological rationality: behaviors can be adaptive in context, not universally irrational.