Hi everyone,
I’m Vladimir - 25 years old, originally from Russia and currently living in Dublin. I studied mathematics, but life took me into product management in IT, where I work today.
I’ve been loosely aware of rationality for years, but something shifted for me after 2023. The rapid progress in AI chatbots made the clear thinking feel much more immediate and personal. Since then, I’ve been slowly but deliberately trying to get better at reasoning, noticing biases, and making sense of the world in a more structured way.
As part of that, I recently started working on a small passion project: a non-profit website that teaches people about cognitive biases in an interactive way. It’s still in its early stages, and I’m figuring a lot out as I go, but I’d love any thoughts if you ever take a look (I hope it is okay to put it here, but please let me know if it's not).
I’m excited to be here. LessWrong feels like one of the rare places on the internet where people are open-minded and seek the truth or knowledge. I also hope to join in some of the AI discussions - I find myself both fascinated by where things are going and deeply uncertain about how to navigate it all.
Thanks for reading and looking forward to learning from all of you.
- Vladimir
Thanks for this question!
I can say, with a high degree of probability, that knowing more about how cognitive biases work and how to avoid them when necessary sharpened my critical thinking and helped me make better decisions (Decisions resulting in higher value for myself) in various life situations.
For instance, being aware of the sunk cost fallacy helps me move on in situations where my "attachment" to something is irrational. The following example is the least important one, but it is the one I like because I think it's easy to relate to: When I stop enjoying a series on Netflix after a few seasons, it's now much easier for me to stop "forcing" myself to complete it because I can now explain this irrational feeling and it is easier for me to move on. This, in turn, saves time, which is direct value.
This is just one example of how being aware of cognitive biases or knowing how to resist them can make a difference for someone. The value of better decisions, of course, often goes far beyond a few hours saved.
Having said that, I am not going to say it does not also simply feel good to know how our brains work (even if to such a small degree). In my opinion, even this feeling alone is worth sharing with others.
Do you feel like the ability to resist or use cognitive biases to your advantage is not beneficial for you?
Edit: Grammar