Chapter 1: The Challenge of Self-Deception

Self-deception poses a significant challenge to the notion that knowledge avoidance plays a lesser role in irrational beliefs and reasoning compared to willful ignorance. Defining self-deception is no easy feat.

According to philosopher Deweese Boyd, “Virtually every aspect of self-deception, including its definition and paradigmatic cases, is a matter of controversy among philosophers.” Self-deception involves an individual who appears to adopt and cling to a false belief despite evidence contradicting it, often driven by some underlying motivation. This can manifest as behavior that indicates a degree of awareness of the truth.

An important aspect to consider is the intentional nature of self-deception, which can be categorized into three distinct definitions:

1. Individuals may hold false beliefs while being aware that these beliefs are not true. They cling to these falsehoods because facing the reality would be too painful. This perspective is known as the intentionalist account.
2. People may mislead themselves into accepting falsehoods due to a desire that overrides rational grounds for belief. In this case, they remain unaware that their belief is false, as their emotional desires cloud their reasoning.
3. There is a fluctuating state in which individuals oscillate between accepting a painful truth and a form of self-deception, where they convince themselves that the painful proposition is untrue, a condition described as weak intentionalism (Pedrini).

Deliberate ignorance comes into play when individuals hold onto falsehoods for various reasons. If those who deceive themselves simultaneously recognize or have sufficient evidence to suspect the truth yet choose to ignore it, they enter a state of willful ignorance. This encompasses a broad phenomenon that includes denying evidence.

If we interpret "believing" as the condition under which humans assert that something is true, it becomes questionable whether one can genuinely hold that a statement is both true and false simultaneously.

People often slip into patterns of self-deception when their epistemic motivations are undermined by a desire to believe something specific. The state of self-deception leads to knowledge avoidance, where individuals do not acknowledge certain knowledge for emotional reasons and actively avoid specific information.

Recognizing these patterns within oneself is crucial for enhancing critical thinking skills and preparing to navigate the complexities that may arise with emerging AI tools. Gaining awareness of these underlying mechanisms can provide you with greater freedom of choice. Stay committed to your learning journey.

The first video, "Honest Liars: The Psychology of Self-Deception" by Cortney Warren at TEDxUNLV, delves into the intricacies of how self-deception operates in our lives and the implications it has on our decision-making processes.

Chapter 2: Understanding the Roots of Self-Deception

The second video, "Self-Deception 23/30: The Problem of Not Knowing You Have a Problem," explores the psychological mechanisms that contribute to self-deception and how it can hinder personal growth and self-awareness.