Gregg R Thomas

The complexities of one’s groups come to the fore at election time. One might have to weigh how one feels about the current administration’s policies on Israel’s handling of Hamas vs. their handling of Russia vs. Ukraine vs. China’s wanting hegemony over East Asian trade routes, but then want to rein in military spending in order to spend more on…[Read more]

Have a great week everyone!!

Christians think nothing of condemning nonbelievers to eternal suffering, but will forgive the most atrocious crimes committed by themselves.

–Ignots Pistachio

Unseen wrote:
What is the logic of in-group bias?

The logic of in-group bias is that I depend on all my group-members to help me live.  I don’t depend on out-group members, who may well be competitors.

Groups are nested and intersecting.  So, like you say, there are circles of concern and ever-larger groups that I belong to.  We can belong to ma…[Read more]

Romeo dies??? Well I guess I won’t be watching that movie then.

Since there’s no way to get rid of groups, since only groups can cooperate (internally) – there’s no way, in this competitive world, to get rid of in-group bias and out-group antipathy.  The only thing we can do is be aware of it and how it works, and then maybe it can be overcome to some extent.

A group that evolve dynamically and for the benefi…[Read more]

@ Simon and Robert

One can belong to various groups almost without limit and often with incompatible or conflicting interests. One might work for Willie’s Widgets and own Willie’s Widget’s stock as a retirement investment. So, joining in a strike for higher wages for oneself and one’s fellow union members (yet another group) could adversely…[Read more]

Simon Paynton wrote:

Unseen wrote:
Set being a useful term because a mathematical set can have just one member—or even no members, a null set.

That’s the difference. A collaborative group must have at least two members (a partnership, team, etc.).

Okay, but I asked a question which wasn’t I guess, worth answering when one might split lin…[Read more]

Reg the Fronkey Farmer wrote:
Favoring those within one’s own group lead to more cohesive and cooperative units, enhancing group survival against external threats. It allowed us to protect our territory and resources and build up trust between members as we watched out for each other. This trust relationship is likely where our ethical behavior a…

[Read more]

Unseen wrote:
Set being a useful term because a mathematical set can have just one member—or even no members, a null set.

That’s the difference.  A collaborative group must have at least two members (a partnership, team, etc.).

What is the logic of in-group bias? When the most basic group (in mathematical terms, a set*) is the self, it’s hard to distinguish it from simple narcissism.

Expand the set to one’s group (however defined, which is a problem: family? neighborhood? village? territory? nation-state? humankind?) and you have to decide to what extent do you have to…[Read more]

@jakelafort – A very good smartphone would tell you that O’Brien and Dettori score a treble tonight with Greenfinch, Mountain Bear and Chief Little Rock.

This is a fault in human nature – our in-group bias.

I agree but I think there is a bigger picture to look at here. In-group bias evolved as a survival mechanism. Favoring those within one’s own group lead to more cohesive and cooperative units, enhancing group survival against external threats. It allowed us to protect our territory and r…[Read more]

jakelafort wrote:
I assume that is why so many Muslim are rapists of Whites in Europe. Women are property and have less value than men and when women are not even Muslims they are fare game.

Yes, this is the excuse given by the Muslim “rape gangs” who exploit young girls in the UK.  (Other rape gangs are available – the phenomenon is not…[Read more]

_Robert_ wrote:
I asked him why he cheated. He looked me right in the eye and said it is not considered cheating because this is a college of infidels.

This is a fault in human nature – our in-group bias.  Morality is a group-wide thing and no further (for highly parochial groups).  Therefore: 1) other groups’ morals are invalid; 2) people in o…[Read more]

I know a male dentist in Ireland who saw a patient from Saudi for a wisdom tooth extraction. After the procedure the patient left his sister in the waiting room and said he would be back in 30 minutes as he wanted to get his prescription from the pharmacy. He only left her “alone” as the other 2 patients and the receptionists were female. It tra…[Read more]