Possibility Wrong Quote by Kathryn Schulz
![“[We] are usually much more willing to entertain the possibility that we are wrong about insignificant matters than about weighty ones. This has a certain emotional logic, but it is deeply lacking in garden-variety logic. In high-stakes situations, we should want to do everything possible to ensure…” quote by Kathryn Schulz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/ffa/kathryn-schulz-7782_possibility-wrong_we-are-usually-much-more-willing-to-ente_2870462.jpg)
““[We] are usually much more willing to entertain the possibility that we are wrong about insignificant matters than about weighty ones. This has a certain emotional logic, but it is deeply lacking in garden-variety logic. In high-stakes situations, we should want to do everything possible to ensure that we are right--which, as we will see, we can only do by imagining all the ways we could be wrong. That we are able to do this when it hardly matters, yet unable to do so when the stakes are huge, suggests that we might learn something important by comparing these otherwise very different experiences.””
About This Quote
Source Essay: “The Art of Noticing,” The New Yorker, 2015
We are more willing to question trivial errors than major ones, a bias that hinders accurate judgment in high‑stakes situations.
In simple terms: We avoid questioning big decisions.
Key Takeaway
Question assumptions, especially in important matters.
Themes
cognitive bias
critical thinking
decision making
Mood
analytical
cautious
Type
philosophical
practical
When to use this quote
- business strategy
- medical diagnosis
- legal judgments
Key Concepts
philosophy
psychology
Questions to Reflect On
- Why do we resist questioning major beliefs?
- How can we improve high‑stakes reasoning?
