Question From 2461 Badugi

[David Sklansky]

"Is it possible to make rational decisions in non-rational environments? Example: if someone recognizes that they have an irrational fear, is avoiding situations where that fear will arise a rational or irrational decision?"

Irrational fears are physical symptons. So I think yes. In fact I can take it further and say you can be rational about irrational thoughts. For instance if you find that your NFL picks are coming in at a steady 43%, don't try to figure out why. Just make your best prediction and bet the other way!

[Aramail]

It seems to be a completely rational decision. While their fear may be irrational, they did not choose to purposely be irrational, the fear they cannot control. So deciding to avoid situations where you will encounter a fear you cannot control is rational.

Aramail

[AlexM]

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Is it possible to make rational decisions in non-rational environments?

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We don't have a rational explanation for "existence", so yes. This is why we have religions. Many religions might not seem rational, but they are all ultimately an attempt to make a universe with no rational explanation rational.

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if someone recognizes that they have an irrational fear, is avoiding situations where that fear will arise a rational or irrational decision?

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Absolutely rational. If you had some reason to believe that facing that fear would end it, then that would be the rational option, but if you don't know this or know that it's not the case, avoidance can easily be more rational.

[Mickey Brausch]

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Is it possible to make rational decisions in non-rational environments? Example: if someone recognizes that they have an irrational fear, is avoiding situations where that fear will arise a rational or irrational decision?

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Irrational fears are physical symptons.

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Fear is a mental action. Physical actions are not always associated with mental actions. There's a whole neural system in Man which acts completely independently of conscious thought, broadly speaking. We get physical effects from our mental actions, of course, yes (e.g. we sweat not only when we have run a couple of miles but also sometimes when we think very uneasy thoughts).

However, fear itself, whether rational or irrational, cannot be characterized as a "physical symptom". Not unless one is a crass materialist. But the symptoms of fear can also be, of course, physical, e.g. heart palpitations, limbs trembling, etc).

The way to confront and treat your irrational fears is through the process of analyzing those fears, and primarily analyze the ground on which those fear grow, i.e. your self. (BTW, alot of fears are not "irrational", strictly speaking. We'd be surprised how many of seemingly irrational fears are solidly grounded in Man's not-too-distant past.)
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I can take it further and say you can be rational about irrational thoughts. For instance if you find that your NFL picks are coming in at a steady 43%, don't try to figure out why. Just make your best prediction and bet the other way!

[/ QUOTE ]The only worry is that, if I'm rational, I will be taking into consideration the fact that I shall be eventually betting the opposite way.

Better is to take advantage of some other guy's terrible predictions. And just tip him generously.

Mickey Brausch