Even aside from this however, it is easy to see how rationality is reduced to modernism by the desire for confidence.
It’s good to know the downside of an approach. Even if that downside is “drinking poison can make what was good, bad.” (Example: driving.)
2
Even though the whole point of rationality is to find the best route towards a goal, causing the least amount of damage
The subjectivity/personality of “best” and “damage” is too oft ignored. (First it is said that math decrees “There must be a utility function!”. Then it is said that it is the same for everyone.) Also see 4.
3
The argument that “ideas that have been around for longer are more likely to outlive newer ideas”, can be simplified to “newer ideas are not worth trying”.
“Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence” but the things we believe are obviously true...
4
the philosophies of antifragilism and rationality
Between this and 2, it’s clear that more than one thing is meant by this word “rationality”. (And “antifragile” has the same problem.)
5
Most of all though, we should resist the lure of overconfidence, and try to make the world a better place free from the tyranny of simple answers.
Simple answers which are wrong. (The importance of the distinction highlights that something different is a problem—likely something already brought up earlier in the essay.)
1
It’s good to know the downside of an approach. Even if that downside is “drinking poison can make what was good, bad.” (Example: driving.)
2
The subjectivity/personality of “best” and “damage” is too oft ignored. (First it is said that math decrees “There must be a utility function!”. Then it is said that it is the same for everyone.) Also see 4.
3
“Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence” but the things we believe are obviously true...
4
Between this and 2, it’s clear that more than one thing is meant by this word “rationality”. (And “antifragile” has the same problem.)
5
Simple answers which are wrong. (The importance of the distinction highlights that something different is a problem—likely something already brought up earlier in the essay.)