[ExI] MBTI, and what a difference a letter makes...

[Samantha Atkins]

On Jan 5, 2010, at 10:29 AM, Damien Broderick wrote:

> On 1/5/2010 12:20 PM, I wrote:
> 
>> Astrological systems could probably do that too, if you were allowed to
>> browse through the descriptors and choose what "sign" you are, with the
>> actual constellations etc entirely irrelevant (as they almost certainly
>> are, except for the seasonal aspect mentioned above).
> 
> Hmm, so what sun sign is closest to INTJ? I want to adopt it. I'll gladly change my birthday. Most posters here could take the same day, I imagine. What a party!
> 

Well, any system of a sufficient number of variables can be mapped onto any other system reasonably described by that number or less variables.   Since humans are notoriously limited in the number of variables they can simultaneously consider and since our minds by design jump to find patterns, even where there aren't any, it is easy to see how these systems arise and perpetuate themselves.  They usually fall apart at the level of claiming they are predictive although even there humans are so muddle headed they will try to fit actual experience to previous now contradicted prediction.

- samantha