Zacthronax t1_j4x5hcx wrote
Reply to comment by Prosthemadera in Steven Pinker on the power of irrationality | Choosing ignorance, incapacity, or irrationality can at times be the most rational thing to do. by IAI_Admin
>I wouldn't consider falling in love irrational. I think he's conflating rationality with being stoic or having no emotions?
My interpretation is it's more to do with monogamy and the things we do and say to prove we're loyal to our partners and won't abandon them as soon as anyone even slightly more appealing appears in our lives. Things like "There's no one in the world I could ever love more than you". How would I know that? Have I met everyone?
The obvious answer is no but I say those things because of how I feel, it makes me and my partner feel great and it provides assurance that I'm loyal to my partner.
>Either way, yes being silly or watching an exciting sports match can be "irrational" and fun but is that worthy of an article?
I didn't realize articles are a limited resource we need to mindful of spending.
>What is paradoxical about it? That's how threats work. It's rational to take a hijacker seriously.
It's irrational because if you get called on your bluff in those examples you have to do something that is drastically costly to yourself beyond the point of doing it.
If I tell you that I want your money or I'll blow you and I up, and then you say "You won't do it." I then have to blow myself up which isn't optimal as that means I'm dead and can't get money anymore. If I'm very serious about that threat then generally that makes me irrational, and that's what makes the threat actually work in the first place.
Prosthemadera t1_j4x9edg wrote
> The obvious answer is no but I say those things because of how I feel, it makes me and my partner feel great and it provides assurance that I'm loyal to my partner.
Which is rational if you want stability and a partner in your life. And it's also evolutionary advantageous, as I said.
> I didn't realize articles are a limited resource we need to mindful of spending.
Not what I said. I will say, though, that I am mindful of how I spend my time and reading philosophical articles that are boring and too long for its message and don't provide me any interesting ideas are a waste of time.
> It's irrational because if you get called on your bluff in those examples you have to do something that is drastically costly to yourself beyond the point of doing it.
Risky doesn't mean irrational and you don't have to do only one thing if someone calls your bluff.
> If I tell you that I want your money or I'll blow you and I up, and then you say "You won't do it." I then have to blow myself up which isn't optimal as that means I'm dead and can't get money anymore.
Yeah, you won't. So why do you "have" to blow yourself up? It's your choice, no one is forcing you. If you blow yourself up then you won't have another chance to try again either.
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