Hermione and the Lack of Logic

[conuly]

I know everybody thinks Hermione is oh-so-smart, but she really *is* illogical. Think of how she acts to Luna! Just because there's no proof of nargles means they don't exist? Does she hear herself? There are people in the world who would say that witches don't exist, but Hermione's very existence (such as it is) is proof against that!

So here's the question. How has Hermione gone so long without learning that a lack of proof for something (say, nargles) isn't the same as proof against something? People didn't believe until giant squid until very recently, and yet they still exist.

That was short. Sorry.

Comments

[imadra-blue.livejournal.com]

Short but sweet, and you have a point. If Hermione was a completely logical person, I firmly beleive she would be in Ravenclaw, but the Sorting Hat obviously sensed that Hermione is passionate and illogical at times. I don't think she thinks of every consequence when she does things, for all her brilliance.

Good meta, it doesn't always have to be long. :D

[ladytalon.livejournal.com]

My first paleontology professor always used to snarkily say, "Lack of proof is not proof of lack."

*ponders* I don't have a paleontology icon; how very odd.

[rho]

Simple answer is that she hsn't actually gone all that long. She's 16. At that age it's normal for people to think they know everything, especially if they do happen to know an awful lot.

[madamjolie.livejournal.com]

She's an atheist?

[snale.livejournal.com]

I think one of Hermione's big problems is that she believes everything she reads in books, and thinks that anything outside her knowledge is poppycock. She has the capacity to use logic (as we saw in book #1), but over the years her head has gotten so big (constantly spoken of as 'top of her class'), that she thinks she knows everything.
I wouldn't be surprised if this egotism gets the best of her eventually.

[sporks5000.livejournal.com]

Yet, even with being a witch, Hermoine seems like the sort to be closed minded over things like that. She hears that something's silly, she reads in books that it's a legend - why worry about it.

especially when the sources claiming it true are disreputable.

I mean, I never see you posting articles from weekly world news...

[imadra-blue.livejournal.com]

Short but sweet, and you have a point. If Hermione was a completely logical person, I firmly beleive she would be in Ravenclaw, but the Sorting Hat obviously sensed that Hermione is passionate and illogical at times. I don't think she thinks of every consequence when she does things, for all her brilliance.

Good meta, it doesn't always have to be long. :D

[ladytalon.livejournal.com]

My first paleontology professor always used to snarkily say, "Lack of proof is not proof of lack."

*ponders* I don't have a paleontology icon; how very odd.

[rho]

Simple answer is that she hsn't actually gone all that long. She's 16. At that age it's normal for people to think they know everything, especially if they do happen to know an awful lot.

[madamjolie.livejournal.com]

She's an atheist?

[snale.livejournal.com]

I think one of Hermione's big problems is that she believes everything she reads in books, and thinks that anything outside her knowledge is poppycock. She has the capacity to use logic (as we saw in book #1), but over the years her head has gotten so big (constantly spoken of as 'top of her class'), that she thinks she knows everything.
I wouldn't be surprised if this egotism gets the best of her eventually.

[sporks5000.livejournal.com]

Yet, even with being a witch, Hermoine seems like the sort to be closed minded over things like that. She hears that something's silly, she reads in books that it's a legend - why worry about it.

especially when the sources claiming it true are disreputable.

I mean, I never see you posting articles from weekly world news...