"If I cannot do it then nobody would be able to do it" Bias

How Nasrudin Spoke Up

Nasrudin said:‘One day a marvellous horse was brought before the prince at whose Court I sat. Nobody could ride it, because it was far too mettlesome a steed. Suddenly, in the heat of my pride and chivalry I cried out:

‘“None of you dare to ride this splendid horse; none of you!
None of you can stay on his back!” And I sprang forward.’

Someone asked: ‘What happened?’
‘I couldn’t ride it either,’ said the Mulla.

The statement "If I cannot do it then nobody would be able to do it" is a classic example of the cognitive bias known as the "Galileo Gambit" or, more broadly, overgeneralization. This bias involves assuming that one's personal limitations or experiences are universally applicable, which is a flawed way of reasoning. Here's why:

1. **Egocentric Bias**: The speaker assumes that their abilities are the benchmark for everyone else's. This reflects an egocentric bias, where one's own perspective is unduly considered central or most important.

2. **Hasty Generalization**: Jumping from personal inability to a universal inability is a form of hasty generalization. Just because Nasrudin couldn't ride the horse doesn't mean no one else can. There might be someone with more skills, experience, or bravery who could succeed.

3. **Appeal to Ignorance**: The statement indirectly suggests that because there is no evidence he can perceive (i.e., no one has ridden the horse in his presence), it is evidence that it cannot be done by anyone, which is not necessarily true.

4. **Argument from Personal Incredulity**: Nasrudin uses his personal disbelief as evidence for a universal truth. Just because he can't imagine anyone riding such a horse doesn't mean it is impossible.

In summary, Nasrudin's spoken challenge reflects a cognitive bias by assuming his inability is universally applicable without considering others' different skills and experiences. These biases and fallacies highlight poor reasoning by overgeneralizing from a single data point—his own experience with the horse.