8 ms·

[citation needed]

by Jebdm 15y ago

[citation needed]

makeramen 15y ago
It's self-signed... Even if the idea isn't completely original, I would assume the writing is. Or if you're doubting the factual evidence behind it, I don't think he's presenting this as fact, despite his tone. This is the same tone of many self-help books, even those backed by "real" evidence and data who cite sources. Still doesn't mean they work for everyone. If you disagree, then don't take his advice.
- irrumator 15y ago
  Random person posts up pithy set of paragraphs with no evidence behind it using fuzzy warm tripe, gets gobbled up quickly on HN. Contentless circlejerking comments ensue. I think citation needed is very apropos here.
- Jebdm 15y ago
  I don't take claims without evidence as a rule, and he didn't present any evidence. His case is especially problematic because he is making strong claims about a fairly well-studied field in which there is not a clearly dominant theory. If he's not intending to present what he's saying as fact, he should say so.
  - edo 15y ago
    You're right. I added a note to the original post: note: I notice my writing could use some nuance. Painting an extreme is just a style of writing which helps bring across a point. Obviously there are things that are objectively less fun to do.
  - epo 15y ago
    He is clearly presenting his opinion. You are clearly nitpicking for no good reason other than to nitpick.
    - Jebdm 15y ago
      See http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2886575 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2886575
RuadhanMc 15y ago
A citation is not needed. It's obvious that he is expressing an opinion. Those who disagree with him can express an opposing opinion. Just because someone says something, doesn't mean that they need to back it up in any scientific way, especially in a community based around discussing ideas and sharing opinions.
- Jebdm 15y ago
  At the risk of repeating myself: the "opinion" he is expressing is actually a theory of procrastination. When you make broad statements like "the reason why human-beings procrastinate is to feel in control of their life", you are declaring your belief about why a widespread phenomena occurs of the type which is either right or wrong (or partially right). Making such statements without providing any evidence for them is not only intellectually vacuous (since if there is no need to provide evidence, then any claim can be made), but it leads to bias in others where people assume that because an argument was not made, that the information is "well known" or the person providing the information is an expert. There's nothing wrong with sharing opinion. I'm guessing that the reason he came to the conclusions he did was based on personal experience (probably mixed with some reading); if so, then he shouldn't have said "the reasons why human-beings procrastinate is to feel in control of their life", he should've said "I noticed that I seem[ed] to procrastinate not because of (...), but because I didn't feel in control of my life". If his evidence wasn't introspective, then he should have shared whatever his evidence was. If he didn't have any evidence other than plausibility, then he should've framed what he was saying as a hypothesis (and ideally still explained his reasoning). You don't have to back up everything you say with scientific evidence, but you shouldn't make sweeping claims, especially in fields like this one where the jury is still out, without either providing evidence or qualifying your claim. (And I don't buy the "it's too much extra writing" argument; he could've inserted "I have a hypothesis:" after "Dear procrastinator" and had it completely covered.) And no, I'm not just being nitpicky; a number of well-known biases like the primacy effect, confirmation bias, the "trusting the confident statement" bias I mentioned earlier (which I can't remember the name of for the life of me), and wishful thinking (in this case, wishing for a solution to procrastination) mean that humans are very vulnerable to forming irrational beliefs when ideas are presented in this way. An ounce of prevention, in the form of stating the reason you believe what you believe at least when you're making new or potentially controversial claims, is surely not too much to ask given how easy it is and how far it goes.

[citation needed]

by Jebdm 15y ago

[citation needed]

It's self-signed... Even if the idea isn't completely original, I would assume the writing is. Or if you're doubting the factual evidence behind it, I don't think he's presenting this as fact, despite his tone. This is the same tone of many self-help books, even those backed by "real" evidence and data who cite sources. Still doesn't mean they work for everyone. If you disagree, then don't take his advice.

irrumator 15y ago
Random person posts up pithy set of paragraphs with no evidence behind it using fuzzy warm tripe, gets gobbled up quickly on HN. Contentless circlejerking comments ensue. I think citation needed is very apropos here.
Jebdm 15y ago
I don't take claims without evidence as a rule, and he didn't present any evidence. His case is especially problematic because he is making strong claims about a fairly well-studied field in which there is not a clearly dominant theory. If he's not intending to present what he's saying as fact, he should say so.
- edo 15y ago
  You're right. I added a note to the original post: note: I notice my writing could use some nuance. Painting an extreme is just a style of writing which helps bring across a point. Obviously there are things that are objectively less fun to do.
- epo 15y ago
  He is clearly presenting his opinion. You are clearly nitpicking for no good reason other than to nitpick.
  - Jebdm 15y ago
    See http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2886575 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2886575

RuadhanMc 15y ago

A citation is not needed. It's obvious that he is expressing an opinion. Those who disagree with him can express an opposing opinion. Just because someone says something, doesn't mean that they need to back it up in any scientific way, especially in a community based around discussing ideas and sharing opinions.

Jebdm 15y ago
At the risk of repeating myself: the "opinion" he is expressing is actually a theory of procrastination. When you make broad statements like "the reason why human-beings procrastinate is to feel in control of their life", you are declaring your belief about why a widespread phenomena occurs of the type which is either right or wrong (or partially right). Making such statements without providing any evidence for them is not only intellectually vacuous (since if there is no need to provide evidence, then any claim can be made), but it leads to bias in others where people assume that because an argument was not made, that the information is "well known" or the person providing the information is an expert. There's nothing wrong with sharing opinion. I'm guessing that the reason he came to the conclusions he did was based on personal experience (probably mixed with some reading); if so, then he shouldn't have said "the reasons why human-beings procrastinate is to feel in control of their life", he should've said "I noticed that I seem[ed] to procrastinate not because of (...), but because I didn't feel in control of my life". If his evidence wasn't introspective, then he should have shared whatever his evidence was. If he didn't have any evidence other than plausibility, then he should've framed what he was saying as a hypothesis (and ideally still explained his reasoning). You don't have to back up everything you say with scientific evidence, but you shouldn't make sweeping claims, especially in fields like this one where the jury is still out, without either providing evidence or qualifying your claim. (And I don't buy the "it's too much extra writing" argument; he could've inserted "I have a hypothesis:" after "Dear procrastinator" and had it completely covered.) And no, I'm not just being nitpicky; a number of well-known biases like the primacy effect, confirmation bias, the "trusting the confident statement" bias I mentioned earlier (which I can't remember the name of for the life of me), and wishful thinking (in this case, wishing for a solution to procrastination) mean that humans are very vulnerable to forming irrational beliefs when ideas are presented in this way. An ounce of prevention, in the form of stating the reason you believe what you believe at least when you're making new or potentially controversial claims, is surely not too much to ask given how easy it is and how far it goes.