Fear of the unknown. Predictions help people to better prepare for something they may think is bound to happen than to be caught with their pants
down. I think it also has to do with a desire to guide our life in the direction we want it to go. But to be honest, we probably do spend too much
time predicting things than living our lives.
Why do we humans have such a strong need for predictions?, page
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reply posted on 22-11-2008 @ 05:36 PM by juveous
reply to post by Spooky Fox Mulder
I think the strong need for predictions is almost involuntary, call it human nature or whatever you want.
Arrogance and confidence. mix the two, and you get a future that seems so clear. It is the problem of "induction" , when we use the knowledge of the past, and conduct experiments that give the same result (or similar) time and time again, and we see a pattern. The pattern is consistent enough to expect the same result in the future. This is why "predicting" makes sense, but I mentioned it being the problem of induction because, obviously if this were true, there would be no surprises in the stock market, plane accidents, lottery wins, etc.
Predicting has it's benefits just look at all the professions out there that are based off suckers.
People get paid money to guess. The status-quo of the "experts" brings in the mulla, because of people that feel the "expert's" guess is going to help them with their investments. But we all know guessing the economy can be as chaotic as guessing (or even calculating, if you will) a hurricane path 2 months in advance.
as for things like Apocalyptic predictions, history repeats itself, again and again, and every prediction is the same, the end is near... - no its not. The need for an Apocalyptic prediction is the want for a fulfilling propriety in society: or the end is near so we all share the same fate - a warning to guide behaviors.
How I look at it anyway.
It seems the end result of prediction is flawed yet in good intentions. The only thing predictable about the future is that it will be unpredictable imo.
[edit on 22-11-2008 by juveous]
I think the strong need for predictions is almost involuntary, call it human nature or whatever you want.
Arrogance and confidence. mix the two, and you get a future that seems so clear. It is the problem of "induction" , when we use the knowledge of the past, and conduct experiments that give the same result (or similar) time and time again, and we see a pattern. The pattern is consistent enough to expect the same result in the future. This is why "predicting" makes sense, but I mentioned it being the problem of induction because, obviously if this were true, there would be no surprises in the stock market, plane accidents, lottery wins, etc.
Predicting has it's benefits just look at all the professions out there that are based off suckers.
People get paid money to guess. The status-quo of the "experts" brings in the mulla, because of people that feel the "expert's" guess is going to help them with their investments. But we all know guessing the economy can be as chaotic as guessing (or even calculating, if you will) a hurricane path 2 months in advance.
as for things like Apocalyptic predictions, history repeats itself, again and again, and every prediction is the same, the end is near... - no its not. The need for an Apocalyptic prediction is the want for a fulfilling propriety in society: or the end is near so we all share the same fate - a warning to guide behaviors.
How I look at it anyway.
It seems the end result of prediction is flawed yet in good intentions. The only thing predictable about the future is that it will be unpredictable imo.
[edit on 22-11-2008 by juveous]
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