[ExI] Meta question

Keith Henson hkeithhenson at gmail.com
Thu Aug 18 00:19:44 UTC 2016


On Wed, Aug 17, 2016 at 1:51 PM, rex <rex at nosyntax.net> wrote:

> Or, "irrational" depends upon the assumptions (AKA postulates). Suitably change
> the assumptions and voila, the irrational strategy becomes a rational strategy.

The point, perhaps inadequately stated, is that evolution has wired up
humans to behave irrationally in circumstances where acting
irrationally has benefited the genes over a long time.

It's an example of "rational" diverging between the individual humans
and their genes.  Genes are in the game long term, so it should not be
that surprising that they build minds which go irrational when it
benefits the genes to do so.

If you want apply this to present or historical examples, be my guest.

Keith



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