'Useful Not True' by Other Names

Thinking more about “Useful Not True”.

It occurs to me that this idea is known by many different names across many different fields.

I was thinking about instrumentalism and the placebo effect.

But chatting with chatgpt shows many more (obvious in retrospect).

Here are some:

🧠 Psychology & Cognitive Science

• Cognitive Reframing / Cognitive Restructuring Changing the way you interpret events so your emotional and behavioral responses are more helpful. (CBT uses this heavily.)
• Placebo Effect A belief that isn’t objectively true (“this sugar pill heals me”) still triggers real, measurable benefits.
• Positive Illusions Term from psychology for mildly inaccurate self-beliefs (“I’m more capable than average”) that improve motivation, health, and resilience.
• Adaptive Denial Temporarily refusing to believe a discouraging truth to maintain hope and action (often studied in trauma and recovery).
• Self-Deception as Strategy Evolutionary psychology suggests humans deceive themselves so they can more convincingly influence others.

📚 Philosophy

• Pragmatism (William James, John Dewey, Richard Rorty) A belief is “true” if it works in practice — if it leads to successful action. James explicitly said: “Truth is what is useful to believe.”
• Instrumentalism From philosophy of science: theories don’t need to be true, only useful for prediction (e.g., Newtonian physics is “wrong” but incredibly useful).
• Fictionalism We act as if certain things exist (numbers, morals, nations) even if they don’t, because the fiction organizes life productively.
• Noble Lie (Plato, Republic) Myths or beliefs that may not be literally true but hold society together and motivate virtue.

📖 Literature, Religion & Myth

• Myth as Metaphor Stories in religion/mythology are not “true” literally but serve moral, cultural, or existential functions.
• Suspension of Disbelief (Coleridge) Temporarily accepting something you know isn’t true so you can immerse and benefit from the story. Similar to adopting useful beliefs.
• Faith as Pragmatic In some religious traditions, belief is valuable not for truth claims but for shaping conduct and community.

💼 Business & Performance

• Visionary Fictions Entrepreneurs hold “unrealistic” beliefs about what’s possible — beliefs not objectively true yet — which motivate innovation.
• Growth Mindset (Carol Dweck) Believing “ability can always improve” may not be objectively true in every domain, but it drives persistence and better outcomes.
• Fake It Till You Make It Acting as if you already are something (confident, disciplined, skilled) even if it’s not true — until it becomes closer to true.

🎲 Game Theory & Evolution

• Credible Commitment Through Self-Deception Sometimes it’s useful not to know the truth so your actions are more convincing to others (e.g., bluffing in poker, signaling in negotiations).
• Evolutionary Adaptive Illusions Some inaccurate perceptions (e.g., overestimating control, optimism bias) improve survival and reproduction.

🌱 Modern Self-Development

• Useful Beliefs (Chris Helder) — literally a motivational framework named after the same principle.
• Affirmations — self-statements you may not believe yet, repeated until they shape behavior and identity.
• “As If” Principle (Richard Wiseman) — act as if you already feel/are something, and your psychology often follows.

I’ve done enough marketing to not dismiss all this out of hand.

It’s stories all the way up and down.

Now, we can assume that each of these methods/fields has a different approach to self-delusion.

Let’s apply each around the active goal of maintaining a calorie deficit (via gpt5):

🧠 Psychology & Cognitive Science

• Cognitive Reframing (CBT) Swap “I’m depriving myself” → “I’m choosing fuel that helps me reach my goal.” → Practical tool: Write down negative food thoughts, then rewrite them in “deficit-friendly” language.

• Positive Illusions Believe: “I’m naturally disciplined around food” even if that’s not fully true. → Tool: Identity-based affirmations — adopt a slightly exaggerated self-image that nudges behavior upward.

• Placebo Effect Frame low-calorie foods as more filling, more energizing. Your belief changes satiety. → Tool: Ritualize meals (“this soup gives me lasting energy”), making simple foods feel potent.

📚 Philosophy

• Pragmatism (James, Dewey) Ask: “Does believing this help me keep the deficit?” If yes, keep it, regardless of truth. → Tool: Treat beliefs like tools in a toolbox — swap them as needed.

• Instrumentalism “Calories-in-calories-out” doesn’t need to explain every nuance of metabolism — it’s a model that gets you results. → Tool: Stick to the simple model even when tempted by diet fads, because it “works well enough.”

• Fictionalism Act as if food categories exist (“good foods” vs. “bad foods”) even if that’s simplistic. → Tool: Create your own “mythology” of foods that fit your deficit story.

• Noble Lie Tell yourself: “Late-night snacks erase all my progress” (not literally true, but it deters you). → Tool: Invent absolute-sounding rules that help discipline.

📖 Literature, Religion & Myth

• Suspension of Disbelief Pretend “this diet is fun” when in the moment it doesn’t feel that way. → Tool: Gamify — log food as if you’re playing an RPG where deficit points = victory.

• Myth as Metaphor Imagine cravings as demons or bosses to defeat. Hunger is a spiritual test. → Tool: Create a narrative arc — each day of deficit is a chapter in your hero’s journey.

• Faith as Pragmatic Trust: “If I stick to the plan, results will come.” Even if weight loss isn’t linear. → Tool: Rituals — meals at set times, gratitude before eating, reinforcing belief in the process.

💼 Business & Performance

• Growth Mindset Believe: “I can always improve my eating discipline.” → Tool: Treat slip-ups not as failure but as data points to improve strategy.

• Fake It Till You Make It Act like a lean, disciplined eater even before you are. → Tool: Copy the behaviors of someone who already eats lean — portion sizes, food choices — until they feel natural.

• Visionary Fictions Visualize your two-week transformation as if it’s already real. → Tool: Daily visualization of your “future self” enjoying being lighter.

🎲 Game Theory & Evolution

• Self-Deception as Strategy Convince yourself “I hate sugary snacks” even if you don’t. Over time, the self-deception can feel true. → Tool: Repeat small lies about your preferences until they shape behavior.

• Credible Commitment Publicly announce “I’m cutting out junk food for two weeks” to trap yourself in your own story. → Tool: Social accountability — it forces your belief to align with your stated commitment.

• Adaptive Illusions Believe you have more control over hunger than you objectively do. → Tool: Rehearse mantras like “I choose when I eat; hunger doesn’t control me.”

🌱 Modern Self-Development

• Useful Beliefs (Chris Helder) “This deficit is not a punishment — it’s the fastest way to energy and clarity.” → Tool: Replace every negative thought about dieting with a flipped, useful belief.

• Affirmations “I love eating in alignment with my goals.” → Tool: Daily written/said affirmations that normalize deficit behavior.

• As-If Principle (Richard Wiseman) Act as if you already enjoy being in a deficit, and enjoyment follows. → Tool: Smile before and during meals, act enthusiastic about smaller portions — body tricks mind.

Fascinating.

A few stand out:

“Calories-in-calories-out” doesn’t need to explain every nuance of metabolism — it’s a model that gets you results.

And:

Act as if food categories exist (“good foods” vs. “bad foods”) even if that’s simplistic.

Right on!

Same with things like “low carb”. It had to be a true-enough story such that it influences behaviour.