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Doubt

Edited by Zack_M_Davis, Grognor, PeerInfinity, et al. last updated 10th Mar 2012

The proper purpose of a doubt is to destroy its target belief if and only if it is false. Merely going around doubting things, without following up and investigating, doesn't help you get truer beliefs. The mere feeling of crushing uncertainty is not virtuous unto an aspiring rationalist; probability theory is the law that says we must be uncertain to the exact extent to which the evidence merits uncertainty.

Blog posts

  • The Proper Use of Doubt
  • Update Yourself Incrementally
  • Fundamental Doubts
  • How to Doubt by Robin Hanson
  • Imagine Being Wrong by Robin Hanson

See also

  • Curiosity
  • Motivated skepticism
  • Update
  • Underconfidence
  • Modesty

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