Children “Easily” Solving Family Problems

Showing only #647 and its comments.

See full discussion
  Log in or sign up to participate in this discussion.
With an account, you can revise, criticize, and comment on ideas.

Discussions can branch out indefinitely. Zoom out for the bird’s-eye view.
Dennis Hackethal’s avatar

Since your child has never done chemistry, he hasn’t yet been coerced about chemistry, so he should be fully rational about it and “easily” find a solution.

The implication here is that Deutsch thinks children are “fully rational” and could help even with the most difficult problems, which isn’t realistic, as is then stated explicitly.

Criticized3
Dennis Hackethal’s avatar

Deutsch doesn’t claim that children are “fully rational”. His article is compatible with children being only partially rational but still able to solve problems as long as they’re not prevented from doing so. That sounds a lot more realistic.

Criticism of #647
Dennis Hackethal’s avatar

Deutsch would know that children generally can’t help with a chemistry problem that requires a PhD, say, so this criticism can’t apply.

Criticism of #647
Dennis Hackethal’s avatar

I also recall Deutsch saying somewhere that there is no such thing as being “fully rational” anyway – that there is no ceiling to how rational one can be.

Criticism of #647