Why We Think We Understand the World More Than We Actually Do
Why do we think we understand the world more than we actually do?
We often believe we grasp how everyday things work, from toilets to bike gears, until we try to explain them. This illusion of explanatory depth reveals our knowledge is far shallower than we assume. When forced to detail our understanding, we realize our opinions are often based on feelings rather than facts, leading to polarized views and poor decisions.
Studies show that those who are more passionate about a certain cause actually often know less about it.
- Waterluvian
Everyone should be required to sign up for a year of being followed around by an inquisitive child who will pockmark the landscape of their knowledge with exploratory boreholes.
I have multiple environment and science degrees and feel generally knowledgeable and my oldest will put on his best Feynman face and be entirely unsatisfied when I offer and explain “Rayleigh scattering.”
I love it. I love it so much. I love how curious he is. I love how there is so much to not know. I would hate to know it all because I love exploring it with him.
- bulbar
To me it seems, most of the time people will skip their knowledge gaps when explaining things, convincing themselves that there are none.
When you talk with a real expert on a topic, you can tell immediately, because answers are comprehensive yet short as well as answers to follow up questions.
Some even manage to explain things easier to understand at the same time.
- skybrian
Here's an example making the rounds, originally from 2022: there is systemic bias in Americans' understanding of US national statistics about all kinds of subgroups:
https://yougov.com/en-us/articles/41556-americans-misestimat...
(Although, apparently the poll didn't ask how uncertain they were. The question was, "If you had to guess, what percentage of American adults...")
- Balinares
I suspect mainly because you don't and can't understand the world; you understand whatever simplified model of the world is inside your head and by default it's real unobvious just how simplified exactly.
- justaman123
I'm only here to first say I'm not like everyone else I do know things and can explain how things work. And computers work by making rocks think by putting magic smoke in them.