What if false beliefs make you happy? | Maarten Boudry | TEDxGhent

The truth can be hurtful or unsettling, so is it not better then to bend it a little? If you start endorsing false beliefs, however, you better proceed with caution. Some illusions are harmful, as they motivate reckless and dangerous behavior, or may have unpredictable side-effects, even if they look innocuous at first. Sooner or later they collide with reality. And in any event: is it even coherent to think we can choose our own beliefs?

Maarten Boudry (1984) is a postdoctoral fellow at Ghent University. He studied in Vienna, Boston and New York. In 2011, he defended his dissertation on pseudoscience: “Here Be Dragons. Exploring the Hinterland of Science”. He is also co-editor and co-author of books. His current research deals with evolutionary epistemology, in particular the problem of human irrationality. Other research interests include naturalism, skepticism and the conflict between science and religion.

This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

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