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Actual impostors don't get impostor syndrome

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Re: Actual impostors don't get impostor syndrome

#61
post #59

I feel that what has helped me a lot with any sense of doubt about my capabilities is assisting and mentoring junior/mid-level developers; you really get a reality check on how much you've learned over the years.

I actually had a conversation a few months back with some CS students close to graduating. I kinda felt that, but then the job market reverted that feeling real quick.

What about the job market exactly? The endless leetcode grind?

Re: Actual impostors don't get impostor syndrome

#62
On that topic it is worth watching the TV show Dr Death. Horrible directing (Christopher Nolan-style random timeline), but good cast, amazing story and it actually happened. A neuro-surgeon as incompetent as over-confident that botched dozens of procedures, severely injured most patients, and killed some of them.

Re: Actual impostors don't get impostor syndrome

#63
post #62

On that topic it is worth watching the TV show Dr Death. Horrible directing (Christopher Nolan-style random timeline), but good cast, amazing story and it actually happened. A neuro-surgeon as incompetent as over-confident that botched dozens of procedures, severely injured most patients, and killed some of them.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher_Duntsch Scary guy.

Re: Actual impostors don't get impostor syndrome

#64

Hmm. I don't usually get imposter syndrome. Wait, does that mean this is saying I am an imposter? Oh no, what if I am? But wait, wasn't that thought imposter syndrome? That means I'm not an imposter. Wait, now I'm back to not having imposter syndrome. Oh no.

Your comment is an example of a logical fallacy called "affirming the consequent." Borrowing from Wikipedia, a good example of affirming the consequent is: 1. If an animal is a dog, then it has four legs. 2. My cat has four legs. 3. Therefore, my cat is a dog. The problem is the conclusion is the result of a reversal of the conditional statement. Similarly, you've said, essentially, 1. If I am an imposter, then I wil…

It's a long way to say P => Q is not the same as Q => P or P Q.

Re: Actual impostors don't get impostor syndrome

#65
post #57

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Your comment is an example of a logical fallacy called "affirming the consequent." Borrowing from Wikipedia, a good example of affirming the consequent is: 1. If an animal is a dog, then it has four legs. 2. My cat has four legs. 3. Therefore, my cat is a dog. The problem is the conclusion is the result of a reversal of the conditional statement. Similarly, you've said, essentially, 1. If I am an imposter, then I wil…

Is this related to mistaking an "if" statement in math as "if and only if" ?

Well, sort of - but we use "if" in day-to-day as a different thing to the material implication in logic. I've yet to run into a person using 'if and only if' in a way that doesn't map to the material equivalence, though, but I'm sure it must happen

Actually, this wikipedia article for has got a specific section about that https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Material_conditional

Edit: I also just learned abou the 'Wason selection task' from that link. Cool stuff. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wason_selection_task

Re: Actual impostors don't get impostor syndrome

#66
> Pruning plants and writing — they're instincts. They're skills I have because I've done them a lot. I can't point to any teachers who showed me how, and I couldn't explain the mechanics of it if I tried.

How a smart person performs a skill is “obvious” to them, but they often can’t explain their process, or sometimes their explanations don’t fit their actions.

Smart people subconsciously learn difficult skills, and they themselves are often completely unaware of their hidden thought processes or don’t understand how they make their choices.

The next level up are people that consciously are aware of their abilities, and can teach their skills to others. Not so many people can do that.

Re: Actual impostors don't get impostor syndrome

#67
post #66

> Pruning plants and writing — they're instincts. They're skills I have because I've done them a lot. I can't point to any teachers who showed me how, and I couldn't explain the mechanics of it if I tried. How a smart person performs a skill is “obvious” to them, but they often can’t explain their process, or sometimes their explanations don’t fit their actions. Smart people subconsciously learn difficult skills, and…

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tacit_knowledge

Re: Actual impostors don't get impostor syndrome

#68
post #57

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Your comment is an example of a logical fallacy called "affirming the consequent." Borrowing from Wikipedia, a good example of affirming the consequent is: 1. If an animal is a dog, then it has four legs. 2. My cat has four legs. 3. Therefore, my cat is a dog. The problem is the conclusion is the result of a reversal of the conditional statement. Similarly, you've said, essentially, 1. If I am an imposter, then I wil…

Is this related to mistaking an "if" statement in math as "if and only if" ?

I think so. The loosey-goosey language of "if" is usually (would need to actually check this) interpreted as an implication relationship

"B if A" or "If A, then B" interpreted as

A -> B

The fallacy would then be to do the following

A -> B

B

------------

A

On the other hand, iff is interpreted as A B

i.e. A -> B and B -> A

So you can get A or B if you have B or A respectively.

Re: Actual impostors don't get impostor syndrome

#69

Hmm. I don't usually get imposter syndrome. Wait, does that mean this is saying I am an imposter? Oh no, what if I am? But wait, wasn't that thought imposter syndrome? That means I'm not an imposter. Wait, now I'm back to not having imposter syndrome. Oh no.

Your comment is an example of a logical fallacy called "affirming the consequent." Borrowing from Wikipedia, a good example of affirming the consequent is: 1. If an animal is a dog, then it has four legs. 2. My cat has four legs. 3. Therefore, my cat is a dog. The problem is the conclusion is the result of a reversal of the conditional statement. Similarly, you've said, essentially, 1. If I am an imposter, then I wil…

I supposed it was a pseudo-Godellian joke.

Re: Actual impostors don't get impostor syndrome

#70
post #62

On that topic it is worth watching the TV show Dr Death. Horrible directing (Christopher Nolan-style random timeline), but good cast, amazing story and it actually happened. A neuro-surgeon as incompetent as over-confident that botched dozens of procedures, severely injured most patients, and killed some of them.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher_Duntsch Scary guy.

See also https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harold_Shipman
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