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Theoretical analysis uncovers mechanisms of locally rationalized harmful behaviors across complex social systems, suggesting systemic cognitive and institutional designs can curb collective folly.
Short Abstract This study proposes a cognitive-space deformation model that interprets foolish acts not as products of fixed personality or simple irrationality, but as locally rationalized self-consistent behavior. It integrates self-justification, local rationality, cognitive narrowing, state dependence, linguistic reframing, diminished perception of others’ reality, and social and algorithmic environments. Through examples spanning violence, organizational misconduct, crime, war, online collective behavior, and authority, the paper examines how locally coherent decisions can undermine broader long-term rationality. It concludes by considering education, distributed power, feedback systems, and cognitive-environment design as possible approaches to reducing folly.
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Matsuoka Takafumi (2026) studied this question.