“Both contribute to our bottom line — survival and reproduction — but they do so in different ways: merit beliefs by helping us navigate the world, crony beliefs ...
...I am convinced that my brain does a poor job of separating truth from fiction. This leads to many false beliefs. Therefore, I want to make at least a minimal effort to understand my brain better and be on guard against its deceptive ways.
Part of that minimal effort is to read stuff on and about that approximately 1.4-kilogram lump of electrophysiological goo that I am a proud owner of (most of the time).
Read: http://www.meltingasphalt.com/crony-beliefs/ (WARNING: 20 minutes read minimum)
In this essay Kevin Simler ponders eloquently on the question “how could we end up believing crony beliefs?”
In summary, he divides our beliefs into “merit beliefs and crony beliefs.”
Kevin argues,