http://friam.383.s1.nabble.com/Game-theorists-hope-to-solve-world-s-crises-tp4100321p4103295.html
And then, there are the anti-wacko wackos.
Nicholas S. Thompson
> [Original Message]
> From: glen e. p. ropella <
[hidden email]>
> To: The Friday Morning Applied Complexity Coffee Group <
[hidden email]>
> Date: 12/2/2009 4:35:01 PM
> Subject: Re: [FRIAM] Game theorists hope to solve world's crises
>
> Quoting Robert J. Cordingley circa 09-12-02 02:54 PM:
> > "Doubt is the antidote to fanaticism" but I don't recall who wrote it in
> > the NYT. So I guess fanatic = wacko.
>
> I'd say that a fanatic is a specific type of wacko, an enthusiastic
> wacko that continually advocates for their pet beliefs. A wacko might
> be totally convinced that their pet belief is true but might not be very
> _enthused_ about that belief. Perhaps their commitment to the pet
> belief leads them to continual states of paranoia, depression, or
> isolation. Then they're not a fanatic; but they're still wacko. So
> doubt is the antidote to many types of wacko, not just fanaticism.
>
> It's also reasonable that a person can be a wacko without being totally
> convinced, convicted, committed to some belief. The most fun example
> would be the impredicative wacko (a wacko who is wacko because they're
> not wacko). In my insistence that doubt and skepticism are the only
> fundamental beliefs worth holding, you might be tempted to label me an
> impredicative wacko. But since I believe doubt and skepticism are
> _incomplete_ truths, I don't really qualify.
>
> OK. I'll stop, now. Sorry. ;-)
>
> --
> glen e. p. ropella, 971-222-9095,
http://agent-based-modeling.com>
>
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