Curse of Knowledge

Notes

The Curse of Knowledge means that we are incapable of imagining ourselves, our thought processes or how it would be like if we didn't know what we know mindsight. Once information sets in, it changes not only this particular piece of information but also all the rest that dependent on it, making the change extensive and irreversible Ripple effect Coherentism. This is like the problem of reading other minds We can't read minds, it is too difficult for us to place ourselves in the mind of another.

The "funny thing" about the curse of knowledge is that it is even relevant when we try to picture ourselves differently. For example, if someone tells you that your favorite character is going to die or turn evil at the end of the season, suddenly you'll see it differently. You'll either love or hate her more, and you won't be able to return to the naive unbiased view you had of her beforehand.

The curse of knowledge is a type of Path Dependence, it limits the spectrum of our thoughts, reducing Ideation, and prevents us from entering a Beginner's Mind. Our cup is too full so new information can't be added in. That's why Forgetting is essential, it clears the way, removing useless information so that new (and better) ones can replace it.

Alternatively, although it is hard to do, practices of Rethinking can help us reduce cases of narrow mindedness due to the curse of knowledge.

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🔼Topic:: behavioral psychology (MOC) ↩️Origin:: 🔗Link::