Relative Equillibrium

[kristina.c...@gmail.com]

Am I the only one having so much trouble grasping this concept. I have watched the video, read the book and even googled the definition and examples but I just cannot grasp this concept. I have stared at my journal questions for 3 days now and cannot figure out what to even say. Can anyone or professor help?

[G. Randolph Mayes]

It is actually reflective equilibrium, not relative equilibrium. 

Reflective equilibrium is a state in which contradictory, uncomfortable or surprising information has been assimilated, usually with the smallest possible change to our system of beliefs.  

For example, tonight was the first presidential debate. A supporter of Donald Trump may have noticed that Clinton charged Trump with claiming that climate change is a hoax perpetrated by the Chinese. This is uncomfortable information, since whatever she thinks about climate change, this claim seems to her to be unlikely. Also, she is Chinese-American, so she finds it vaguely offensive. To her relief, Trump flatly denies the claim, restoring equilibrium since she credits Trump's word over Clinton's in almost all cases. After the debate, she notices Trump's tweet from a few months ago making precisely this claim. Disequilibrium returns. There are many ways to restore it. One way would be to consider the possibility that Trump's original charge was correct, but this now conflicts with the fact that he denied making it and it is also offensive. Another way would be to assume the tweet is fake. Another way would be to say that Trump made it in a context that wasn't meant to be taken seriously. Still another way would be to revise one's view about Trump's veracity.  

This is also the sort of thing that Jonathan Glover talks about in the podcast from the previous module.