Another option might be to use a word without any baggage. For example, Moloch seems to have held onto its original meaning pretty well but then maybe that’s because the source document is so well known.
That post is a fairly interesting counterargument, thanks for linking it. This passage would be fun to try out:
This prompted me to think that it might be valuable to buy a bunch of toys from a thrift store, and to keep them at hand when hanging out with a particular person or small group. When you have a concept to explore, you’d grab an unused toy that seemed to suit it decently well, and then you’d gesture with it while explaining the concept. Then later you could refer to “the sparkly pink ball thing” or simply “this thing” while gesturing at the ball. Possibly, the other person wouldn’t remember, or not immediately. But if they did, you could be much more confident that you were on the same page. It’s a kind of shared mnemonic handle.
My problem with s1 and s2 is that it’s very difficult to remember which is which unless you’ve had it reinforced a bunch of times to remember. I tend to prefer good descriptive names to nondescript ones, but certainly nondescriptive names are better than bad names which cause people to infer meaning that isn’t there.
On the s1/s2 thing, there are alternatives and I try to promote them when possible, especially since around these parts people tend to use s1/s2 for a slightly different but related purpose to their original formulation anyway. The alternative names for the clusters (not all the source names line up exactly, though):
The fact that there are subtly different purposes for the alternative naming schema could be a strength.
If I’m talking about biases I might talk about s1/s2. If I’m talking about motivation I might go for elephant/rider. If I’m talking about adaptations being executed I’d probably use blue minimising robot/side module.
I’m not sure whether others do something similar but I find the richness of the language helpful to distinguish in my own mind the subtly different dichotomies which are being alluded to.
Data point: I remember that System 1 is the fast, unconscious process by associating it with firstness—it’s more primal than slow thinking. This is probably somewhat true, but it defeats the purpose (?).
Another option might be to use a word without any baggage. For example, Moloch seems to have held onto its original meaning pretty well but then maybe that’s because the source document is so well known.
EDIT: I see The sparkly pink ball thing makes a similar point.
That post is a fairly interesting counterargument, thanks for linking it. This passage would be fun to try out:
My problem with s1 and s2 is that it’s very difficult to remember which is which unless you’ve had it reinforced a bunch of times to remember. I tend to prefer good descriptive names to nondescript ones, but certainly nondescriptive names are better than bad names which cause people to infer meaning that isn’t there.
On the s1/s2 thing, there are alternatives and I try to promote them when possible, especially since around these parts people tend to use s1/s2 for a slightly different but related purpose to their original formulation anyway. The alternative names for the clusters (not all the source names line up exactly, though):
s1: near, concrete, id, fast, yin, hot, elephant, unconscious, machine, outside
s2: far, abstract, superego, slow, yang, cold, rider, conscious, monkey/homunculus, inside
I think near/far the best, but I think we’re stuck with s1/s2 at this point due to momentum.
The fact that there are subtly different purposes for the alternative naming schema could be a strength.
If I’m talking about biases I might talk about s1/s2. If I’m talking about motivation I might go for elephant/rider. If I’m talking about adaptations being executed I’d probably use blue minimising robot/side module.
I’m not sure whether others do something similar but I find the richness of the language helpful to distinguish in my own mind the subtly different dichotomies which are being alluded to.
Data point: I remember that System 1 is the fast, unconscious process by associating it with firstness—it’s more primal than slow thinking. This is probably somewhat true, but it defeats the purpose (?).