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[MBTI General] Paradigm shift

paradox fox

New member
Joined
Feb 17, 2010
Messages
132
MBTI Type
INFP
Enneagram
4
How willing are you to gather as much information as possible on a particular subject?

How unbiased are you when you are reviewing opposing theories?

If you find your original understanding, viewpoint, or opinion is wrong, how willing are you to change it? What effect does this change have on you?
 

JocktheMotie

Habitual Fi LineStepper
Joined
Nov 20, 2008
Messages
8,491
As much information as I need, really, as long as it's related.

I try not to look at things in terms of "opposing theories," as usually if they exist, they tend to be 2 sides of the same coin, two manifestations and interpretations of the elements of a system. When trying to evaluate an issue or how something works, it's more important to understand than it is to necessarily agree.

If a conclusion I've made is shown to be wrong, the incorrect one is tossed out relatively instantaneously. I don't stand to gain much by holding on to an inaccurate model.
 

fill

"Everything in its place"
Joined
Jun 28, 2009
Messages
507
MBTI Type
entp
Enneagram
753
How willing are you to gather as much information as possible on a particular subject?

It depends on what I intend to do with the information. There are some tasks/processes/skills which I require very little information to perform well in, and some that require a great deal of information.

How unbiased are you when you are reviewing opposing theories?

Very. At least on the inside. I'm sort of an Fe whore, so I'll sometimes point out flaws in something I agree with to appeal to someone with opposing viewpoints before I give their side the same treatment.

If you find your original understanding, viewpoint, or opinion is wrong, how willing are you to change it? What effect does this change have on you?

This depends on how drastic the effects of this understanding are on my environment. If I have room to experiment and make sure a viewpoint is correct or incorrect, I'll take my time; however, if its effects span wider than my own capacity (someone else's for example), I tend to make hasty changes.
 

INTPness

New member
Joined
Jan 22, 2009
Messages
2,157
MBTI Type
INTP
Enneagram
5w4
How willing are you to gather as much information as possible on a particular subject?

If I enjoy the subject, then I actually have to try to discipline myself to slow down and tend to the other things in life. In such cases, my "willingness" to gather information is very high.

If I don't particularly enjoy it, but it's something that needs to be done, then I will do it, but I won't have as much passion for it. I'll just kind of "go through the motions" in order to learn what is necessary. I'll skim through the information or ask "key questions". I don't necessarily need all the "in between stuff", I just need a few major bullet points and I'll figure out the rest or ask more questions as I go.

If I don't enjoy the subject and don't have a real need for it, then it usually gets very little attention.

How unbiased are you when you are reviewing opposing theories? If you find your original understanding, viewpoint, or opinion is wrong, how willing are you to change it? What effect does this change have on you?

I don't think any person is able to be truly unbiased. There are always going to be subtle biases that we bring to the table based on past experiences, culture, etc., but all in all I think INTP's (and NT's in general) are objective - we try to check our biases at the door. I know that if I bring biases into the discussion, then my vision is severely clouded. When I start learning something or discussing something with someone, I want to enter the discussion with a "clean slate". I'll even set my pre-existing knowledge aside in order to peek into the other person's world and try to see where they are coming from. Let me hear everything they have to say and THEN I will bounce it off of what I already knew (or thought I knew). I think I am very open to paradigm shifts. Everything I know or think is "on the table" for discussion. I've said before that each time I interact with someone or take in some new information on a given topic that my paradigm is "tweaked" a bit. I ponder what I learned throughout the day and let the information saturate for a few days (if I'm not required to act quickly), bouncing what I learned against what I already thought or knew. Make adjustments (shift my paradigm) as needed.
 

Shimmy

New member
Joined
Jun 9, 2009
Messages
1,867
MBTI Type
SEXY
How willing are you to gather as much information as possible on a particular subject?

Unlimited willingness on this part.

How unbiased are you when you are reviewing opposing theories?

Fairly unbiased, but I will shoot down any theory I deem incomplete.

If you find your original understanding, viewpoint, or opinion is wrong, how willing are you to change it? What effect does this change have on you?

Instant change once you do prove your theory is valid. Like I said, I will shoot it down if I don't consider it better (more logical) than mine.
 

Cerridwen

New member
Joined
Feb 17, 2010
Messages
36
MBTI Type
INTP
Enneagram
5
How willing are you to gather as much information as possible on a particular subject?

Depends on how long it takes me to get bored of it. Once I feel I understand it, or have learned as much as I could for the time being, I'll set it aside and come back to it an undetermined amount of time later, if I'm extremely interested in it.

For example, I first learned about MBTI in my sophomore year of high school, or at least Keirsey's take on it. I researched about the characteristics of each personality type, how they interacted with each other, etc. But not really how each type is determined. Afterwards, I set it aside to focus on some new shiny interest. Now, I'm in college and I've just read about Jung and the four functions and what they mean in the MBTI. This all came from wondering "Am I the same personality type I was in high school? Has college changed me that much?" on day after a stupid lecture in a class that supposedly taught you how to "think critically" (required classes suck... a lot).

If I am not really interested, I do the bare minimum required and return to my current interest.

How unbiased are you when you are reviewing opposing theories? If you find your original understanding, viewpoint, or opinion is wrong, how willing are you to change it? What effect does this change have on you?

Usually, I doubt my own theories and I tend to change my mind quite often. Although, if the person says which isn't supported with logic, then I'd probably be more inclined to disregard it. While I don't like admitting that I'm wrong, I will change my viewpoint once I realize my logic is flawed. It usually doesn't have much of an effect on me because I'm usually quite flexible when it comes to change. I can't really say what would happen if my viewpoint on something that is in my values was proven wrong... I'm not quite sure if that would result in an explosion or an enlightenment. Probably a bit of both, I assume.
 

paradox fox

New member
Joined
Feb 17, 2010
Messages
132
MBTI Type
INFP
Enneagram
4
Thanks for all the input guys!

How about for more touchy subjects, for example, origin of life theories? What else... um... I can't really think of any other touchy scientific theories. Just citing an example.

BTW it's not my intention to turn this thread into an evolution/ID argument and assert my POV and all that crap; those discussions *cough*shoutingmatches*cough* get ugly. :p I'd just like to get your thoughts about shifting perspective, that's all.

Pretty much, it's pretty easy to figure out both sides of an argument. Along with that, how easily can you see why a person believes the way they do? If their viewpoint, opinion or belief is different from yours, even after all is said and done, do you respect that person as much?
 

JocktheMotie

Habitual Fi LineStepper
Joined
Nov 20, 2008
Messages
8,491
Thanks for all the input guys!

How about for more touchy subjects, for example, origin of life theories? What else... um... I can't really think of any other touchy scientific theories. Just citing an example.

BTW it's not my intention to turn this thread into an evolution/ID argument and assert my POV and all that crap; those discussions *cough*shoutingmatches*cough* get ugly. :p I'd just like to get your thoughts about shifting perspective, that's all.

In terms of evolution vs. ID, to me ID is just adding things that don't need to be there. It's like...adding x to two sides of an equation just because you think x's look pretty: sure, it still works, but they're just there to satisfy a pre-existing philosophical bias.

Pretty much, it's pretty easy to figure out both sides of an argument. Along with that, how easily can you see why a person believes the way they do? If their viewpoint, opinion or belief is different from yours, even after all is said and done, do you respect that person as much?

Well sure, this is where you'd just ask how they arrive at their conclusions. When I listen, I'm not trying to compare their thoughts against mine, I'm just identifying the steps they're taking to get to what they think. I don't know if I'd say I respect someone's opinion to exclusively have sex with venus flytraps, but as long as they don't say I'd have to have sex with them too, they can do whatever the hell they want as long as they stay out of public policy :)

I'm really only concerned with understanding. Respecting, judgment, condemning, condoning, these things aren't really my focus.
 

Aleksei

Yeah, I can fly.
Joined
Mar 10, 2010
Messages
3,626
MBTI Type
ENTJ
Enneagram
7w6
Instinctual Variant
sx/sp
How willing are you to gather as much information as possible on a particular subject?
My ADD and laziness won't let me dig too deep into a subject. I generally use Ne more than Ti in my learning process, taking what information I already have and spinning it around in my head, making inferences and connections.

How unbiased are you when you are reviewing opposing theories?
Fairly so, although I do outwardly act dismissive towards theories that sound less-than-logical to me.

If you find your original understanding, viewpoint, or opinion is wrong, how willing are you to change it?
Very willing. To not change your viewpoint in light of new information that successfully invalidates it is stupidity.
 

Katsuni

Priestess Of Syrinx
Joined
Aug 22, 2009
Messages
1,238
MBTI Type
ENTP
Enneagram
3w4?
How willing are you to gather as much information as possible on a particular subject?

Directly related to my interest in the subject, which may or may not increase or decrease as information becomes available.




How unbiased are you when you are reviewing opposing theories?

Generally I don't really play 'brand loyalty' with anything... if it sucks, it sucks. Theories, like everything else, are based solely upon their individual merit at first.

Of course, that leads us to the next question.



If you find your original understanding, viewpoint, or opinion is wrong, how willing are you to change it? What effect does this change have on you?

Once I've found an opinion/theory/whotever that makes sense with the data at hand, I tend to settle into such, due to the fact that it makes sense. I'm always open to the possibility that I may be wrong, but if I have a theory that actually WORKS and seems to be accurate, yeu're going to need to disprove the current one and then sell the new replacement with alot of effort. It's not a "zomg I refuse to change!" thing or anything like that, it's just that if it already has strong basis to believe it's accurate to begin with, I need some kind of strong evidence to bother changing my mind. I'm not just going to change my mind or belief or theory just because yeu go "no that's wrong".

As more evidence and proof occurs to support the original claim, the harder it will be to refute it, which only makes sense. Once it *IS* refuted fully though, with evidence supporting a new theory, then it is summarily dumped on the spot and the new one picked up.

I don't really 'cling' to old concepts or anything at all, just because yeu've always done something the wrong way, doesn't count as a reason to continue doing it the wrong way. Tradition is not a valid excuse for mediocrity.

In any case, the point is that as a theory gains evidence or proof to support itself, it's harder to disprove. Once it's disproved though, I have no interest in it any longer.

This's a large part of why I just can't take Victor seriously with his ZOMG MBTI IS A LIE spam he keeps throwing up everywhere. He doesn't do anything to actually counter any points, nor suggest alternatives. Anecdotes and heresay are not valid evidence, nor is stomping up and down going "NO NO NO" with nothing else beyond that.

Despite that, I don't take MBTI seriously anyway, there's enough obvious gaps in it that it's kind of plain to see it's not a 100% coverage thing, and is little more than a vague attempt to try to categorize behavior. For whot it's intended purpose is, it does a pretty good job, but it's also obviously not without its' issues. Anyone who takes it as 100% accurate, such as those who interpret the bible as pure literal truth without any suggestion of moral stories or slanted perspectives, are kind of just being silly.

In any case, the point is that I can, will, and have, repeatedly, changed my mind on topics I felt strongly about after being properly informed with new information. Nothing's set in stone, everything can be changed, and everything we know might be wrong. It doesn't mean we should drop everything we know first chance we get, but if new evidence is strong enough to disprove the current theory, then there's no point clinging to it any longer. There's just no point in changing yeur mind every 10 seconds without reason to do so either. Yeu need evidence to change opinions as well.
 
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