I’ve been studying cognitive science for the last three years or so, trying to understand why it’s so hard for people to correct their beliefs when those beliefs are demonstrated to be wrong. It is fairly obvious from the research that there are three particular reasons that people get things wrong:
- They just weren’t thinking. That is, they were being a “cognitive miser”, reluctant to “spend” any effort on their thinking unless forced to.
- They didn’t know how to do the kind of thinking necessary to come up with the right answer or decision. This usually means a failure to grasp the basics of logic or probability.
- They were employing a corrupted way of thinking. A corrupted scheme of thinking is called a “cognitive bias”. It’s like a small computer program that kicks in at certain times and that spits out decisions that are guaranteed to be wrong in certain situations. For example, Billy was once robbed by two Italians, and afterward, he adopted a cognitive bias that says “All Italians are thieves.” This bias kicks in every time Billy sees or hears about an Italian. Every once in a while, Billy happens to be right about a particular Italian, but since not Italians are thieves, we can see that Billy will frequently be wrong when using this bias. He either knows, or should know, that it is inaccurate, but he keeps it in his mind anyway.
These three causes are quite fascinating, and the study of them will generate loads of material. The last one, cognitive bias, is particularly fascinating because when you study it, you get to see what kinds of faulty thinking people often tend to come up with. Here are some of my favorites:
- “If I were wrong about this, I would know it.”
- “George is an expert, so if George says it, it must be right.”
- “It’s more important to be unified with the group than to be right.”
One doesn’t have to think long about these before he or she realizes that all three have a tendency to shut down further analytical thought. In cult studies, such ideas would be called “thought stoppers”. They are conditioned “triggers” that kick the brain into some other mode of thinking than the one that most naturally should be occurring in a particular situation.
Cognitive biases generally have short names, and they range considerably by category. The standard literature on bias names well over a hundred such mini-programs, but really, a great many more could be identified and named. And as I write about the ones that are most obstructive to good thinking, I find from time to time that this or that bias is as yet unnamed. The “Stupid” Bias is one of these.
Here’s how I define it:
The “Stupid!” Bias is a cognitive bias by which one automatically dismisses the argument of any person calling another person “stupid” (or any other similar name).
This bias tends to employ or imply one or more irrational assertions or consequences such as:
- “No person engaging in name calling can possibly have a good point to make.” This is demonstrably false.
- “Any person having been called a name naturally deserves to be exempt from any charge of wrongdoing with which he or she is charged by the name caller.” It is difficult to imagine how such an exemption could be demonstrated, and on what grounds. Indeed, do we set the serial killer free because the mother of one of his victims calls him a “monster”?
- “Name calling cancels out the guilt of the wrongdoer.” —as if name calling actually has an expiatory effect on the one charged.
- “Name calling magically undoes the wrongdoing of the wrongdoer.” —as if name calling magically fixes the broken nose of the victim whenever his attacker is called a “jerk”.
Regardless of which of these irrational notions by be held or admired by the on holding the “Stupid!” bias, it should be understood that the bias logically leads to this false conclusion:
- “No person can actually be stupid.”
While I doubt very seriously that many people at all would say such as thing as that last line above, this is most certainly the logical implication of the “Stupid!” Bias. This is because, in the mind of one holding the “Stupid!” Bias, the charge of “Stupid!” or “Fool!” in a debate does not lead to a rational examination of the charge, but to a summary judgment that the one making the charge is dismissible.
Meanwhile, however, if you ask a bunch of acquaintances in a big crowd to “Raise your hand if you’ve ever done anything stupid in your life,” you’ll find many who are willing to admit to such in quite a matter-of-fact fashion. You’re likely to hear, “Of course, I have!”
The posture of the one holding the “Stupid!” Bias, however, is one not of admission and honest recollection or analysis, but of automated defense. I’ve even seen people jump to the defense of the one being called “Stupid!” even when they are already on record as having disagreed with that person!
The fact of the matter is that we all think, decide, and believe stupidly from time to time. Though some do it far more often than others, we all do it. There are no exceptions, and any honest person will quickly acknowledge this fact with a small amount of observation.
I find it particularly ironic that fans of the Bible get bogged down with the “Stupid!” bias. That’s because the Bible frequently calls certain people or behaviors “stupid” or “foolish” and the like. Here’s an example:
Proverbs 12:1 Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates correction is stupid.
And here’s another:
Jeremiah 10:21 For the shepherds are stupid and do not inquire of the Lord; therefore they have not prospered, and all their flock is scattered.
And here:
Galatians 3:10 O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you?
And again:
Luke 12:20 But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’
On and on it goes with variations on fool and stupid and idiot, and such occurring more than 120 times in the Bible!
Apparently, the Christian employing the “Stupid!” Bias is at odds with the spirit of the very scriptures he professes. If any position qualifies as “stupid”, perhaps that one does.
Meanwhile, honest and rational people, while it may sting them, are certainly open to the charge of “Stupid!” and “Fool!”, for they recognize that there are times when such a charge against them will be dead-on accurate. And further, they recognize that they can always correct themselves whenever their foolishness becomes evident.
