One of the Basic Questions of Philosophy?

[David Sklansky]

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.

[RJT]

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

[BluffTHIS!]

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.

[BZ_Zorro]

[ 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.

[chezlaw]

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

chez

[ 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

[PLOlover]

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.

[Eidal]

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.

[cielo]

[ 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?

[Scotch78]

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