The first thing that comes to mind as for a way to do this is by comparing information looking for inconsistencies. We already do that, but we do it according to certain patterns. It’s in determining what those patterns are and consciously choosing to compare the information using a different pattern that would reveal the types of inconsistencies that would serve as an opportunity to reverse engineer an undiscovered bias, thereby gaining knowledge of it.
For instance:
We observe ourselves behaving with people of two different races.
We compare the information. Did we treat them with equal respect?
We compare information for races, genders, orientations, ages and other things. We’re already comparing by those patterns. What if we chose to compare different sets? We can consciously choose to break that pattern and ask about completely different sets of people.
We can ask questions like:
How do I treat smart people compared with everyone else? Do I think as critically about their ideas? Am I intentionally rude to them to try and bring them down?
I’ve observed widespread bias about intelligent people and it can go either way. I’ve seen everything from people assuming that gifted people are all elitists to assuming that geniuses have a magical ability to prevent and solve infinite problems, as if they’re magical.
Idea: Discover unrecognized bias
The first thing that comes to mind as for a way to do this is by comparing information looking for inconsistencies. We already do that, but we do it according to certain patterns. It’s in determining what those patterns are and consciously choosing to compare the information using a different pattern that would reveal the types of inconsistencies that would serve as an opportunity to reverse engineer an undiscovered bias, thereby gaining knowledge of it.
For instance:
We observe ourselves behaving with people of two different races.
We compare the information. Did we treat them with equal respect?
We compare information for races, genders, orientations, ages and other things. We’re already comparing by those patterns. What if we chose to compare different sets? We can consciously choose to break that pattern and ask about completely different sets of people.
We can ask questions like:
How do I treat smart people compared with everyone else? Do I think as critically about their ideas? Am I intentionally rude to them to try and bring them down?
I’ve observed widespread bias about intelligent people and it can go either way. I’ve seen everything from people assuming that gifted people are all elitists to assuming that geniuses have a magical ability to prevent and solve infinite problems, as if they’re magical.