Summary
Highlights
The Sphex wasp paralyzes a large insect, drags it to its burrow, inspects the burrow, then pulls the prey inside to lay eggs. After sealing the burrow, the wasp leaves, providing a food source for its offspring.
If you move the cricket a few inches away while the Sphex is inspecting its burrow, the wasp will repeatedly move the cricket back to the entrance and re-inspect the burrow, never moving past this step. This loop can be repeated over 40 times, showcasing its rigid, unthinking algorithm.
The term "Sphexish" describes behavior that appears intelligent but is based on a simple, automatic set of rules, lacking the ability to reflect and adapt when these rules become counterproductive. The Sphex cannot recognize that its actions are not achieving its ultimate goal.
The speaker suggests that a lot of rationality involves recognizing our own "Sphexish" tendencies. In arguments, for example, we might follow an automatic algorithm (e.g., 'someone is wrong, so I must tell them why they are wrong') without reflecting on whether this behavior actually helps us achieve our desired outcome or if it's counterproductive.