we first passively accept a proposition in the course of comprehending it, and only afterward actively disbelieve propositions which are rejected by consideration.
My reading the linked argument back in 2007 made me install a habit of always immediately evaluating the truth value of basically everything everyone tells me (along with a compensatory policy of my feeling free to ask my friends to stop telling me things, using phrases such as, “I am overloaded with information now and would like to rest before you give me any more”).
But I get so absorbed in fiction (mostly video entertainment) that I doubt I am doing any evaluating, so I do worry about the negative effects of fiction consumption on the accuracy of my beliefs.
Another argument against consuming fiction: at least a few luminaries believe that human progress has stagnated since about 1970. An extremely popular and potent form and vehicle for fiction, namely,
television, became a mass phenomenon in the US in the 1950s (and a little later in the rest of the world). The most productive members of society are relatively busy and also (because of their higher status and higher incomes) have relatively good access to enjoyable experiences, making them relatively less receptive to a new form of enjoyable experience. Also, it is plausible that a very productive person will have acquired the knowledge behind his current level of productivity about 10 years ago, on average. The combination of those 2 effects could explain the approximately-13-year delay between the mass adoption of television and the start of the stagnation.
Thank you for the link! Somehow I missed the Eliezer’s post during my research. I’ll add it to my post.
My reading the linked argument back in 2007 made me install a habit of always immediately evaluating the truth value of basically everything everyone tells me
That is too simplistic. Consider an argument made by Eliezer for the proposition that
My reading the linked argument back in 2007 made me install a habit of always immediately evaluating the truth value of basically everything everyone tells me (along with a compensatory policy of my feeling free to ask my friends to stop telling me things, using phrases such as, “I am overloaded with information now and would like to rest before you give me any more”).
But I get so absorbed in fiction (mostly video entertainment) that I doubt I am doing any evaluating, so I do worry about the negative effects of fiction consumption on the accuracy of my beliefs.
Another argument against consuming fiction: at least a few luminaries believe that human progress has stagnated since about 1970. An extremely popular and potent form and vehicle for fiction, namely, television, became a mass phenomenon in the US in the 1950s (and a little later in the rest of the world). The most productive members of society are relatively busy and also (because of their higher status and higher incomes) have relatively good access to enjoyable experiences, making them relatively less receptive to a new form of enjoyable experience. Also, it is plausible that a very productive person will have acquired the knowledge behind his current level of productivity about 10 years ago, on average. The combination of those 2 effects could explain the approximately-13-year delay between the mass adoption of television and the start of the stagnation.
Yeah, my computer has hardly improved from 1970′s ones.
Thank you for the link! Somehow I missed the Eliezer’s post during my research. I’ll add it to my post.
I think it’s an excellent habit. Will try it too.