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felipec  unbelief  1yr ago (felipec.substack.com)   3238 thread views

2+2 = not what you think

felipec.substack.com

Changing someone's mind is very difficult, that's why I like puzzles most people get wrong: to try to open their mind. Challenging the claim that 2+2 is unequivocally 4 is one of my favorites to get people to reconsider what they think is true with 100% certainty.

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most people make assumptions

Assumptions are a basic building block of cognition, necessary in order to make even the very simplest possible of conclusions. Literally everyone makes assumptions whenever they have literally any thought or take literally any action. To take a single step forward is generally to assume your eyes don't deceive you, the world isn't about to explode, you won't suddenly quantum phase to the sun when you take the step, you still remember how to take steps, etc.

There are certainly more and less justified assumptions, and perhaps you mean to call attention to less justified assumptions, but don't do so using an example of an extremely justified assumption.

Literally everyone makes assumptions whenever they have literally any thought or take literally any action.

Yes, but not everyone realizes they are making an assumption. Just like virtually nobody realizes they are making an assumption when answering the 2+2 question.

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