I think they have taken this idea of being logical and internalized it as a status symbol.
The use of the word "rational" apparently only applies to them so by criticizing LW, I assume that makes you irrational.
Is it useful for every human to overcome the biases on their list? Or are these just criticisms that one group can use to distinguish themselves from other people? [1] I don't even believe all of these biases exist but instead could be attributed to a discrepancy in definitions and usage of language in a formal and colloquial sense. Further, although possibly mentioned elsewhere, I think it is possible to suffer from a "cognitive bias" cognitive bias where belief about overcoming cognitive bias causes a new cognitive bias.
Check out this link [2], I think Harry Potter is associated with Eliezer himself.
In short, I don't think a bunch of people who claim to be rational are completely ego free.
edit: I don't mean this to sound as if I am arguing there is no such thing as cognitive bias or that nobody can really be rational but that ego can and has gotten in the way of discussion about it.
The use of the word "rational" apparently only applies to them so by criticizing LW, I assume that makes you irrational.
Is it useful for every human to overcome the biases on their list? Or are these just criticisms that one group can use to distinguish themselves from other people? [1] I don't even believe all of these biases exist but instead could be attributed to a discrepancy in definitions and usage of language in a formal and colloquial sense. Further, although possibly mentioned elsewhere, I think it is possible to suffer from a "cognitive bias" cognitive bias where belief about overcoming cognitive bias causes a new cognitive bias.
Check out this link [2], I think Harry Potter is associated with Eliezer himself.
In short, I don't think a bunch of people who claim to be rational are completely ego free.
[1]http://wiki.lesswrong.com/wiki/Bias#Blog_posts_about_known_c... [2]http://lesswrong.com/lw/k9r/cognitive_biases_due_to_a_narcis...
edit: I don't mean this to sound as if I am arguing there is no such thing as cognitive bias or that nobody can really be rational but that ego can and has gotten in the way of discussion about it.