[FoRK] "Where do beliefs come from daddy?"

[Tom Higgins]

http://www.marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevolution/2007/12/where-do-our-be.html

"We all like to think that our beliefs come from rational thinking,
deep experience and good judgment.  But suppose that you had to
predict someone else's beliefs, let's say their beliefs about taxes,
welfare, regulation....economic policy of all kind.  Let's put some
money on it, the better your predictions the more money you make.

I will give you one piece of information to improve your predictions.
Either I will tell you whether the person whose beliefs you must
predict is an economist or a biologist or I will tell you whether the
person whose beliefs you must predict is American or French.  Which
piece of information do you want?

What does this say about where beliefs come from?"



-th