Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Why do we think we understand the world more than we actually do?

thedecisionlab.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

11–20 of 74 posts

Re: Why do we think we understand the world more than we actually do?

#11

Post by My_Name »

ExoticPearTree wrote: post #3

Same reason we think we’re smarter than we actually are?

Generally, it is people with a lower ability to understand the world that overestimate their own intelligence because they are unable to imagine anyone being smarter than them, and those on the smarter end who underestimate their own intelligence because they believe everyone else must be able to see what they are able to see.

There was a paper, quite famous now, on the topic titled "Unskilled and Unaware of It: How Difficulties in Recognizing One's Own Incompetence Lead to Inflated Self-Assessments"

Re: Why do we think we understand the world more than we actually do?

#12

Post by My_Name »

rawgabbit wrote: post #8

What I commonly see is people take a mental model that worked in the past and apply it in another context assuming it will work again. Irregardless of different constraints, people, or technologies. Agile cult members are the worst offenders. Second on my list are the HR pop psychology fads like Myers Briggs and Fish!

If all you have is a hammer, the whole world looks like a nail...

Re: Why do we think we understand the world more than we actually do?

#13

Post by skybrian »

Here's an example making the rounds, originally from 2022: there is systemic bias in Americans' understanding of US national statistics about all kinds of subgroups:

https://yougov.com/en-us/articles/41556-americans-misestimat...

(Although, apparently the poll didn't ask how uncertain they were. The question was, "If you had to guess, what percentage of American adults...")

Re: Why do we think we understand the world more than we actually do?

#14

Post by samuell »

wanderingmind wrote: post #7
Waterluvian wrote: post #4

Everyone should be required to sign up for a year of being followed around by an inquisitive child who will pockmark the landscape of their knowledge with exploratory boreholes. I have multiple environment and science degrees and feel generally knowledgeable and my oldest will put on his best Feynman face and be entirely unsatisfied when I offer and explain “Rayleigh scattering.” I love it. I love it so much. I love…

100 percent can relate on the relentless curiosity of a child. I was dumbfounded yesterday by this question -> if cars go at high speed, and breaks stop it suddenly, how come the friction doesn't generate enough heat to start a spark?

I think it is simply designed that way.

In my experience sparks are generally generated when quite small metal surfaces get in contact at high speeds, meaning they can generate a lot of friction in a very small point, and thus not have enough braking effect despite the local friction in one small point (think rail wheels squeeking in curves).

Brakes OTOH are designed to spread out the friction on a somewhat larger area, which allows more material to take up the friction and the heat, and spread it around.

I know brakes can get extremely hot too though, and after a really hard braking you might have to worry about deformed brakes sometimes.

Race cars tend to have really large breaks (and brake pads) for this reason.

Re: Why do we think we understand the world more than we actually do?

#15

Post by My_Name »

wanderingmind wrote: post #7
Waterluvian wrote: post #4

Everyone should be required to sign up for a year of being followed around by an inquisitive child who will pockmark the landscape of their knowledge with exploratory boreholes. I have multiple environment and science degrees and feel generally knowledgeable and my oldest will put on his best Feynman face and be entirely unsatisfied when I offer and explain “Rayleigh scattering.” I love it. I love it so much. I love…

100 percent can relate on the relentless curiosity of a child. I was dumbfounded yesterday by this question -> if cars go at high speed, and breaks stop it suddenly, how come the friction doesn't generate enough heat to start a spark?

They generate enough energy to, I mean have you seen racing brake discs?

It's just that the energy is spread out over a larger area (brake discs/pads as opposed to a tiny spark) that is also constantly being cooled by air movement, so the energy in any one point is not enough to ignite any of the materials involved. It's why they used to put asbestos in the brake pads, but they now use ceramics and other heat-resistant materials.

Also, engineering.

Re: Why do we think we understand the world more than we actually do?

#16

Post by Razengan »

wanderingmind wrote: post #7
Waterluvian wrote: post #4

Everyone should be required to sign up for a year of being followed around by an inquisitive child who will pockmark the landscape of their knowledge with exploratory boreholes. I have multiple environment and science degrees and feel generally knowledgeable and my oldest will put on his best Feynman face and be entirely unsatisfied when I offer and explain “Rayleigh scattering.” I love it. I love it so much. I love…

100 percent can relate on the relentless curiosity of a child. I was dumbfounded yesterday by this question -> if cars go at high speed, and breaks stop it suddenly, how come the friction doesn't generate enough heat to start a spark?

It's ironic that AI today may give curious kids answers quicker if not better than asking humans or searching the web did.

Re: Why do we think we understand the world more than we actually do?

#17

Post by anamax »

wanderingmind wrote: post #7
Waterluvian wrote: post #4

Everyone should be required to sign up for a year of being followed around by an inquisitive child who will pockmark the landscape of their knowledge with exploratory boreholes. I have multiple environment and science degrees and feel generally knowledgeable and my oldest will put on his best Feynman face and be entirely unsatisfied when I offer and explain “Rayleigh scattering.” I love it. I love it so much. I love…

100 percent can relate on the relentless curiosity of a child. I was dumbfounded yesterday by this question -> if cars go at high speed, and breaks stop it suddenly, how come the friction doesn't generate enough heat to start a spark?

Car brakes can get hot enough to start a fire (wood, paper, maybe even gasoline - see race cars) but a spark is a hot piece of material that is large enough so it can keep its heat for a while.

Brakes generate very fine dust that cools off almost immediately.

Re: Why do we think we understand the world more than we actually do?

#18

Post by rf15 »

My_Name wrote: post #11
ExoticPearTree wrote: post #3

Same reason we think we’re smarter than we actually are?

Generally, it is people with a lower ability to understand the world that overestimate their own intelligence because they are unable to imagine anyone being smarter than them, and those on the smarter end who underestimate their own intelligence because they believe everyone else must be able to see what they are able to see. There was a paper, quite famous now, on the topic titled "Unskilled and Unaware of It: How…

I feel like hearing this is dangerous in itself - even if you overestimate yourself, surely you yourself don't overestimate yourself as much as others?

Personally, I ran against a closed glass door yesterday. All I hope for is that I was entertaining to onlookers at least.

Re: Why do we think we understand the world more than we actually do?

#19

Post by neuralkoi »

We are so full of ourselves we called ourselves Homo sapiens, wise man, but wise we don't seem to be.

I recently faced this feeling of overconfidence in knowledge trying to think about how seasons work or why rainbows have a curved or arcing shape.

You might think seasons are caused by the tilt of the earth, but why? Exercise left for the reader.

Re: Why do we think we understand the world more than we actually do?

#20

Post by throwawaysoxjje »

neuralkoi wrote: post #19

We are so full of ourselves we called ourselves Homo sapiens, wise man, but wise we don't seem to be. I recently faced this feeling of overconfidence in knowledge trying to think about how seasons work or why rainbows have a curved or arcing shape. You might think seasons are caused by the tilt of the earth, but why? Exercise left for the reader.

Same reason you can look at a sunset but not the noonday sun
Post reply on HN