Comments on: Casanova on Innocence http://www.overcomingbias.com/2007/04/casanova_on_inn.html Overcoming Bias is economist Robin Hanson’s blog, on honesty, signaling, disagreement, forecasting, and the far future. Sat, 11 Feb 2012 23:23:58 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.3 By: Manon de Gaillande http://www.overcomingbias.com/2007/04/casanova_on_inn.html#comment-420498 Manon de Gaillande Sun, 20 Jan 2008 00:37:44 +0000 http://prod.ob.trike.com.au/2007/04/casanova-on-innocence.html#comment-420498 Self-deceptive behavior is often explained by claims of that kind, i.e. "We want <status> to get <perk> but others will help us get <status> if they believe we want it for <ideal>. People are good at detecting lies, so instead of just claiming we want <ideal>, we should believe it." However, why would we be able to detect conscious lies but not self-deception (or, for that matter, honest mistakes)? It doesn't look much harder (if you examine the claim and not the person), and the benefit should be roughly the same (and increase if we are already good at detecting lies, so that self-deception becomes more common). Self-deceptive behavior is often explained by claims of that kind, i.e. “We want to get but others will help us get if they believe we want it for . People are good at detecting lies, so instead of just claiming we want , we should believe it.” However, why would we be able to detect conscious lies but not self-deception (or, for that matter, honest mistakes)? It doesn’t look much harder (if you examine the claim and not the person), and the benefit should be roughly the same (and increase if we are already good at detecting lies, so that self-deception becomes more common).

]]> By: will mcbride http://www.overcomingbias.com/2007/04/casanova_on_inn.html#comment-420497 will mcbride Mon, 09 Apr 2007 01:20:21 +0000 http://prod.ob.trike.com.au/2007/04/casanova-on-innocence.html#comment-420497 So what are those advantages of deceit? Evolutionary logic points to a positive-sum game. So what benefit to we gain from being deceived by others? I believe it is trust. Here's more: http://hereticatthegates.blogspot.com/2007/04/superstition-economy-or-how-self.html So what are those advantages of deceit? Evolutionary logic points to a positive-sum game. So what benefit to we gain from being deceived by others? I believe it is trust. Here’s more:
http://hereticatthegates.blogspot.com/2007/04/superstition-economy-or-how-self.html

]]> By: Khurram Naik http://www.overcomingbias.com/2007/04/casanova_on_inn.html#comment-420496 Khurram Naik Fri, 06 Apr 2007 14:20:55 +0000 http://prod.ob.trike.com.au/2007/04/casanova-on-innocence.html#comment-420496 See Robert Triver's thoughts on the evolutionary logic of self-deception: http://www.edge.org/3rd_culture/trivers04/trivers04_index.html See Robert Triver’s thoughts on the evolutionary logic of self-deception: http://www.edge.org/3rd_culture/trivers04/trivers04_index.html

]]> By: Barkley Rosser http://www.overcomingbias.com/2007/04/casanova_on_inn.html#comment-420495 Barkley Rosser Thu, 05 Apr 2007 21:21:13 +0000 http://prod.ob.trike.com.au/2007/04/casanova-on-innocence.html#comment-420495 Hmmm, well, hopefully you will not be jailed for witchcraft for criticizing established opinion. OTOH, maybe you will do something really publicly worthwhile, and I bet Bee would urge some private companies to recompense you handsomely if you succeeded, namely discover a new and improved condom design, :-). Hmmm, well, hopefully you will not be jailed for witchcraft for criticizing established opinion. OTOH, maybe you will do something really publicly worthwhile, and I bet Bee would urge some private companies to recompense you handsomely if you succeeded, namely discover a new and improved condom design, :-) .

]]> By: Robin Hanson http://www.overcomingbias.com/2007/04/casanova_on_inn.html#comment-420494 Robin Hanson Thu, 05 Apr 2007 18:33:53 +0000 http://prod.ob.trike.com.au/2007/04/casanova-on-innocence.html#comment-420494 Barkely, that was not my conscious motivation, but I am large; I contain multitudes. Barkely, that was not my conscious motivation, but I am large; I contain multitudes.

]]> By: Barkley Rosser http://www.overcomingbias.com/2007/04/casanova_on_inn.html#comment-420493 Barkley Rosser Thu, 05 Apr 2007 18:27:32 +0000 http://prod.ob.trike.com.au/2007/04/casanova-on-innocence.html#comment-420493 Robin, Did you post this because Tyler compared you to Casanova? Robin,

Did you post this because Tyler compared you to Casanova?

]]> By: Matthew C http://www.overcomingbias.com/2007/04/casanova_on_inn.html#comment-420492 Matthew C Thu, 05 Apr 2007 14:32:48 +0000 http://prod.ob.trike.com.au/2007/04/casanova-on-innocence.html#comment-420492 Robin, Some supporting links would probably help convince Stuart. Robin,

Some supporting links would probably help convince Stuart.

]]> By: Robin Hanson http://www.overcomingbias.com/2007/04/casanova_on_inn.html#comment-420491 Robin Hanson Thu, 05 Apr 2007 13:06:39 +0000 http://prod.ob.trike.com.au/2007/04/casanova-on-innocence.html#comment-420491 Stuart, self-deception is clearly an evolved feature of our minds, we gain large advantages from innocence, and self-deception is required for innocence. So yes. Stuart, self-deception is clearly an evolved feature of our minds, we gain large advantages from innocence, and self-deception is required for innocence. So yes.

]]> By: Stuart Armstrong http://www.overcomingbias.com/2007/04/casanova_on_inn.html#comment-420490 Stuart Armstrong Thu, 05 Apr 2007 09:20:39 +0000 http://prod.ob.trike.com.au/2007/04/casanova-on-innocence.html#comment-420490 <i>Yes, we self-deceive to gain advantages from innocence.</i> Do you really feel that the advantage of appearing innocent is so huge that it justifies self-deceit? (in the evolutionary past when this would have been relvant). And what sort of people would benefit the most from appearing innocent, and would be least harmed by the self deceit? Yes, we self-deceive to gain advantages from innocence.

Do you really feel that the advantage of appearing innocent is so huge that it justifies self-deceit? (in the evolutionary past when this would have been relvant). And what sort of people would benefit the most from appearing innocent, and would be least harmed by the self deceit?

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