# What Curiosity Looks Like

See also: [Twelve Virtues of Rationality](http://yudkowsky.net/rational/virtues), [The Meditation on Curiosity](/lw/jz/the_meditation_on_curiosity/), [Use Curiosity](/lw/4ku/use_curiosity/)

What would it look like if someone was _truly curious_ — if they _actually wanted true beliefs_? Not someone who wanted to _feel_ like they sought the truth, or to _feel_ their beliefs were justified. Not someone who wanted to [signal](http://www.overcomingbias.com/tag/signaling) a desire for true beliefs. No: someone who _really_ wanted true beliefs. What would that look like?

A truly curious person would seek to understand the world as broadly and deeply as possible. [They](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Singular_they) would study the humanities but especially math and the sciences. They would study logic, probability theory, argument, scientific method, and other core tools of truth-seeking. They would inquire into [epistemology](http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/epistemology/), the study of knowing. They would [study artificial intelligence](http://www.amazon.com/Artificial-Intelligence-Modern-Approach-3rd/dp/0136042597/) to learn the algorithms, the _math_, the [laws](http://facingthesingularity.com/2011/the-laws-of-thought/) of how an _ideal_ agent would acquire true beliefs. They would study modern psychology and neuroscience to learn [how their brain](http://facingthesingularity.com/2011/the-crazy-robots-rebellion/) acquires beliefs, and how those processes [depart](/lw/7e5/the_cognitive_science_of_rationality/) from ideal truth-seeking processes. And they would study [how to minimize their thinking errors](http://commonsenseatheism.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Larrick-Debiasing.pdf).

They would practice truth-seeking skills as a musician practices playing her instrument. They would practice "debiasing" [techniques](/lw/5x8/teachable_rationality_skills/) for reducing common thinking errors. They would seek out [contexts](/lw/52g/the_good_news_of_situationist_psychology/) known to make truth-seeking more successful. They would [ask others](/lw/8ir/where_do_i_most_obviously_still_need_to_say_oops/) to help them on their journey. They would ask to be [held accountable](/r/discussion/lw/95u/describe_your_personal_mount_stupid/).

They would cultivate [that burning itch to _know_](http://yudkowsky.net/rational/virtues). They would admit their ignorance but seek to destroy it.

They would be [precise](/lw/ic/the_virtue_of_narrowness/), not vague. They would be clear, not [obscurantist](http://richarddawkins.net/articles/824-postmodernism-disrobed).

They would not [flinch away](http://facingthesingularity.com/2011/dont-flinch-away/) from experiences that might destroy their beliefs. They would train their emotions to fit the facts.

They would update their beliefs quickly. They would resist the human impulse to [rationalize](/lw/ju/rationalization/).

But even _all this_ could merely be a signaling game to increase their status in a group that rewards the appearance of curiosity. Thus, the final test for genuine curiosity is _behavioral change_. You would find a genuinely curious person studying and learning. You would find them practicing the skills of truth-seeking. You wouldn't merely find them saying, "Okay, I'm updating my belief about that" — you would also find them making decisions consistent with their new belief and inconsistent with their former belief.

Every week I talk to people who say they are trying to figure out the truth about something. When I ask them a few questions about it, I often learn that they know almost nothing of logic, probability theory, argument, scientific method, epistemology, artificial intelligence, human cognitive science, or debiasing techniques. They do not regularly practice the skills of truth-seeking. They don't seem to [say "oops"](/lw/i9/the_importance_of_saying_oops/) very often, and they change their behavior even _less_ often. I conclude that they probably want to _feel_ they are truth-seeking, or they want to _signal_ a desire for truth-seeking, or they might even self-deceivingly "believe" that they place a high value on knowing the truth. But their actions show that they aren't [trying very hard](/lw/ui/use_the_try_harder_luke/) to have true beliefs.

Dare I say it? Few people _look_ like they really want true beliefs.