From: J. R. Molloy (jr@shasta.com)
Date: Sat Mar 17 2001 - 16:32:38 MST
From: "Anders Sandberg" <asa@nada.kth.se>
> > First Law
> > We always underestimate the number of stupid people.
>
> This is actually wrong. If you ask people for their opinions about
> their own stupidity and the relative stupidity of others, you will
> find that (not surprisingly) the majority of people are smarter than
> other people. The same goes for being ethical and so on. So the first
> law should be: we always underestimate our own stupidity.
Right, and since we are part of the total number of people, it comes to
the same thing as saying we underestimate the number of stupid people...
'cuz we often leave out ourselves in this estimate. (Speaking just for
myself, you understand.)
> The implication is of course that even stupid people can be right and
> do good stuff.
Thanks. I do try.
τΏτ
Stay hungry,
--J. R.
Useless hypotheses: consciousness, phlogiston, philosophy, vitalism, mind,
free will
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http://www.forbes.com/asap/2001/0219/120.html
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