Wordie [wûrd • ē]
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6 wordies list
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first listed by:
eggplantia5 (2920 words)
appears in these lists:
Costi's Words, by costi
the nerve!, by trivet
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Yes, I think second guessing is very concrete, and leads to dithering. One may accept doubt without feeling compelled to act on it.
Interesting also is the difference between "second guessing" and "doubting." To me, the latter always implied a less immediate, more diffuse sort of uncertainty.
Well, I think the idea is that the surgeon will inevitably have to make life or death decisions, often quickly. S/he has no time to ponder. The decision, of course, will be made on the basis of experience, knowledge and evidence, but there is no time for second guessing or doubt. Once a decision is made, it must be acted upon.
Personally, I do not have the temperament for that, but I am certainly glad others do!
I'd say that "principle" applies to anything that doesn't really matter in the grand scheme of things. However, surgery does matter. Yikes.
There are variants of the saying "Sometimes/often wrong but never in doubt." I have heard it said that it is a necessary atribute of surgeons. And yet there is also such a thing as overconfidence.
The stuff of all achievers. Inversely proportional to doubt. But a confidence man is to be avoided at all costs to preserve one's own store of confidence!