this is or this may be

Paul Bloom's 5th lecture in his course is on the development of thought, or 'what it is like to be a baby'. I am not going to embed this lecture because it was rather frustrating to watch. Rather frustrating because it was likely very entertaining to actually be there.

They don't show any multi-media used in the lecture in the footage. This obviously makes it administratively easier because they don't have to get permission to use copyrighted materials. But it also makes it very annoying when the lecturer has been creative enough to use lots of variety. Variety of which you can't be a part.

Anyway... it was interesting nonetheless.

Much like the other parts of the course, what I enjoy is the constant doubt about the theories put forward. Language and confidence go hand in hand. If every time you say something you say, 'I think that maybe we should try to do this, I don't know, what do you think?' I would imagine that you would train yourself to doubt yourself. If instead you say, 'I have thought about this. We should do this. Any comments?'... I think the result will be different.

Both request feedback on an idea, the one comes across much more confidently. Which is the best way? You may say it is semantics. It is, but if our brains are so easily rearranged and we spend most of our day talking to ourselves in our heads, then repeating the second one is likely to make you a more confident person.

Thing is... we are not normally correct. And when it comes to children and ideas about children this becomes blatantly obvious. People have been raising children for a long time. Comes with the territory of being human. Talk to a lot of parents and they have it cracked. This is the way to raise a child, the way the other parents are doing it is wrong.

This is a very natural response. Of course you are going to believe you are doing it right and others are wrong. Of course you are going to snigger and talk behind peoples back about how they are raising their children in the wrong way. Because if you say, 'I am not sure... but hey let's give this way a go', or even 'I have thought about it a lot and have no idea, but I am going to try this'... you are admitting that you might be doing the wrong thing.

Raising children is a sensitive case, but in general I don't think we are rewarded for showing the necessary level of doubt and we are far too confident in our opinions.

Don't get me wrong, I think that it is important to frame answers confidently, and to think through things as best you can yourself before getting other opinions... But constant recognition that you are probably wrong is for mine the best way to get closer to being right more often.