Expectting Rational And Logical Behavior

[steve_bank]

We keep execting humans to act rationally and logically when we appear to be wired for emotional behaviour.

What we call formal logic is an abstract cnstruct.

When someone acts counter to logic we say it is illogical nd irrational.

I look at Biden and what he is facing.

Bizarre conspiracy believers, disputes within his own party, republican opposition, anti vaccers.

Flat Earth and ET believers.

It is starting to seem that the fact we have any stability at all is a miracle. Humans are unable to work collectively in their own interest.

 

[rousseau]

Humans are unable to work collectively in their own interest.

I don't fully agree. We can work collectively but we're limited by epistemology - knowing what to do and how to do it. People are co-operative and somewhat rational, but logic only helps if you're able to to use it to find the correct answer, and you need knowledge to get there.

That's a problem because our r'aison d'etre is to follow culture, survive, and reproduce, not acquire knowledge toward the end of sustainability. We try within natural constraints, but we're stumbling along and not doing a great job at it.

 

[steve_bank]

In small groups yes. Even at the city level over here there is little cooperation. Those in power wield it to the maximum until the other party takes over.

People can be neighborly and helpful in a community, bit it has limits. Group identifies emerge.

 

[rousseau]

In small groups yes. Even at the city level over here there is little cooperation. Those in power wield it to the maximum until the other party takes over.

People can be neighborly and helpful in a community, bit it has limits. Group identifies emerge.

I don't know that this is a sign that people aren't rational, but instead that they don't have common goals, and have different visions over solutions to problems. A Trump supporter living in a red state may be quite rational in their support of Trump. If you're framing their choices in the context of sustainability, very illogical, but that's not usually what their choices are based on. The choices are based on immediate survival.

The community is ultimately there to allow the individual to thrive, and not vice versa. The individual will only support the community to the extent that it doesn't impinge on personal thriving.

The lie, or fallacy, is that our species is in any way cohesive, and not intrinsically a number of sub-groups with competing interests. It's a good sound-byte to say things like for humanity, but this isn't how it works.