One of the Basic Questions of Philosophy?
 

If it isn't it, I think it probably should be. The question is: Is Cooker right when he posted on another thread

"Many people live under the mistaken belief that being correct is advantagous. This may or may not be the case. I think it is very possible, that certain incorrect views might have an advantage."

My answer is an in between one which I will get into later. What's yours?

PS We are not talking here about obvious occasional short term benefits of incorrect thoughts.

Re: One of the Basic Questions of Philosophy?
 

Anyone who is or has ever been married knows that the answer is: it is not an advantage to be correct.

Re: One of the Basic Questions of Philosophy?
 

I presume you mean views which are unknowingly incorrect rather than maintaining the truth of a known falsehood for some psychological or manipulative reason. The only advantage that could accrue from an incorrect view is one which would lead one to pursue an action that had a beneficial result but which action would not have been taken were the truth known. The only such advantage I personally have experienced is misreading an opponent's hand on an early street and calling an allin bet with insufficient pot odds but sucking out on the river.

Re: One of the Basic Questions of Philosophy?
 

[ QUOTE ]
"Many people live under the mistaken belief that being correct is advantagous. This may or may not be the case. I think it is very possible, that certain incorrect views might have an advantage."

[/ QUOTE ]
Depends entirely on your goals and your means. In the long run, being correct (and thus, by definition, more in touch with objective reality), is a good thing in general.

But there are plenty of examples where being incorrect has been very advantageous.

Re: One of the Basic Questions of Philosophy?
 

It seems obvious that some people have better lives for being religous and this is independant of the truth of their beliefs.

chez

Re: One of the Basic Questions of Philosophy?
 

[ QUOTE ]
It seems obvious that some people have better lives for being religous and this is independant of the truth of their beliefs.

[/ QUOTE ]

And the reverse: It seems obvious that some people have better lives for NOT being religous and this is independant of the truth of their beliefs.

MidGe

--
"Our human race is affected with a chronic underestimation of the possibility of the future straying from the course initially envisioned" - Nassim Nicholas Taleb

Re: One of the Basic Questions of Philosophy?
 

I think in terms of relationships and personal politics, some self deception helps society function more smoothly.

Case in point, some studies suggest that 1/5 of children of a married couple are not the husbands.

Re: One of the Basic Questions of Philosophy?
 

Define "correct", then we may be able to have a meaningful discussion.

Edit: After re-reading the OP, we will need to agree on definitions for both "correct" and "advantagous".

If I define "advantagous" as "that which is conductive to my goals" and "correct" as "the most accurate depiction of reality" then it follows that the more correct I am, the better I can achieve my goals.

As I said, without agreeing upon a defition of advantage, we can't have much of a debate. Certain incorrect views may very well give a person an advantage in being happy, reproducing, any number of things that humans tend to value.

Re: One of the Basic Questions of Philosophy?
 

[ QUOTE ]

"Many people live under the mistaken belief that being correct is advantagous. This may or may not be the case. I think it is very possible, that certain incorrect views might have an advantage."



[/ QUOTE ]


I can't remember which book right now but Nietzsche said something along the lines of...

We men of reason and our will to truth, but why not rather untruth?

Re: One of the Basic Questions of Philosophy?
 

Is there value in avoiding contradictions? Yes. Does that mean nothing else can be of value? No.

Scott

". . . the errors of great men are venerable because they are more fruitful than the truths of little men . . ."

-Friedrich Nietzsche