Are generalizations useful?

[Autumnleaf]

or are they all prejudiced and should be disregarded?

 

[TeddyKGB]

All generalizations are bad.

 

[Autumnleaf]

All generalizations are bad.

An attractive young woman walking alone in a bad part of town...

Bad generalization, or is she an idiot?

 

[MoonlessNight]

Generalizations are great and necessary for rational thought. You can't do geometry without considering things as invariant under translations and rotations (at least), topology without considering things invariant under homeomorphism, algebra without considering things invariant under isomorphism etc. etc. etc. Because it is possible to represent things in a variety of ways, each with their own variations, it is important to generalize in order to get to the core of what we really care about.

Or is that not what you meant?

 

[quatona]

An attractive young woman walking alone in a bad part of town...

Bad generalization, or is she an idiot?

Huh?

 

[Autumnleaf]

Huh?

Don't feel bad. Its a very complex question requiring critical thinking. There are other threads more suitable to your expertise.

 

[Meshavrischika]

or are they all prejudiced and should be disregarded?

yes. no.

there is no right answer. we as humans use generalizations all the time and are taught these to protect and enhance our lives... at the same time they detract and are detrimental as well. there is no yes/no to this question.

 

[Autumnleaf]

yes. no.

there is no right answer. we as humans use generalizations all the time and are taught these to protect and enhance our lives... at the same time they detract and are detrimental as well. there is no yes/no to this question.

Unless the question has a presuppositon like, Have you stopped beating your wife yet?, the question can have a yes or no answer. I think most people do use generalizations. They avoid punksters and tend to do business with clean cut people... etc.

I think many people have been trained to act like the opposite is true but they know better. Why else do you suppose wealthy people live in certain parts of town. Do you really think they enjoy paying excessive property taxes?

 

[Meshavrischika]

Unless the question has a presuppositon like, Have you stopped beating your wife yet?, the question can have a yes or no answer. I think most people do use generalizations. They avoid punksters and tend to do business with clean cut people... etc.

I think many people have been trained to act like the opposite is true but they know better. Why else do you suppose wealthy people live in certain parts of town. Do you really think they enjoy paying excessive property taxes?

sure most people do use them... but does that make them 100% beneficial? no. they are also not 100% harmful.

 

[quatona]

Don't feel bad.

Thanks for your concern, but I don´t feel bad. I just didn´t understand your question. I couldn´t detect any such generalizing statement in it that you asked about.

Its a very complex question requiring critical thinking. There are other threads more suitable to your expertise.

I have tried to find an interpretation of these sentences that doesn´t require me to conclude condescension on your part. Unfortunately with no avail. Can you help me understand what you really meant to communicate, please? Since you are concerned with my feelings: It would make me feel better if I were offered an interpretation that would not come down to an ad hominem.

I have no doubt that your question was extremely complex and intelligent - I just felt it wasn´t worded clearly.

 

[Autumnleaf]

Thanks for your concern, but I don´t feel bad. I just didn´t understand your question. I couldn´t detect any such generalizing statement in it that you asked about.


I have tried to find an interpretation of these sentences that doesn´t require me to conclude condescension on your part. Unfortunately with no avail. Can you help me understand what you really meant to communicate, please? Since you are concerned with my feelings: It would make me feel better if I were offered an interpretation that would not come down to an ad hominem.

I have no doubt that your question was extremely complex and intelligent - I just felt it wasn´t worded clearly.

What do you mean by not clearly enough?

 

[KarateCowboy]

Generalizations are great and necessary for rational thought. You can't do geometry without considering things as invariant under translations and rotations (at least), topology without considering things invariant under homeomorphism, algebra without considering things invariant under isomorphism etc. etc. etc. Because it is possible to represent things in a variety of ways, each with their own variations, it is important to generalize in order to get to the core of what we really care about.

Or is that not what you meant?

I don't think I've seen you in a while.

Welcome back.

 

[Mling]

Full grown adult concocting broad and meaningless hypotheticals in order to take cheap shots at those who respond.

Bad generalization or bloody waste of time?

 

[Autumnleaf]

Full grown adult concocting broad and meaningless hypotheticals in order to take cheap shots at those who respond.

Bad generalization or bloody waste of time?

When people who respond play dumb I play dumber. The question is legit. Answer it or troll elsewhere.

 

[craigerNY]

Generalizations and stereotyping are real timesavers.

 

[Ave Maria]

Sometimes generalizations can be useful but I think that most of the time they are unnecessary and prejudiced.

 

[clarksided]

They are always prejudiced, but they are still useful sometimes. As a rule, a middle-aged man who hangs out alone at a playground should be avoided by children. However, things like being "clean-cut" shouldn't be assumed to automatically be positive. Tons of criminals and sleazy people know how to present themselves in order to get their way.

 

[quatona]

What do you mean by not clearly enough?

This was your post:

An attractive young woman walking alone in a bad part of town...

Bad generalization, or is she an idiot?

I don´t understand where there´s a generalization in either of the sentences.
I don´t understand the dichotomy presented in the latter sentence.

 

[Domenico]

Everyone makes generalisations. In social psychology we call them schema's and they help us understand the world. For example there is the generalisation that something with four legs is not human. Thats a good generalisation. There is the generalisation that causes immediately precede their effects. That can be a good generalisation (I push this, it falls over) or a bad generalisation (Me clapping makes earthquakes occur.)

We need schemas to organise our experiences and build our knowledge base. Sometimes they're not very effective, due to lack of information, but sometimes they're good, as they lead to less cognitive load.

 

[AJ29]

Don't feel bad. Its a very complex question requiring critical thinking. There are other threads more suitable to your expertise.

LOL!!

She's an idiot