The Most Terrifying Thought Experiment

Re:The Most Terrifying Thought Experiment by anigbrowl on Friday July 18, 2014 @12:50AM (#8051717)

No, but rationalism should include an awareness of the limits of one's own capacity for rational thought/action. Not a limit to rationality itself, but a recognition of the fact that we often lack sufficient information for complete moral certainty, and should therefore be very cautious when enumerating our priors, lest we make a logical decision based upon a false premise.

I'm making a general point here rather than one about Yudlowski and co. I'm rather a hard-core utilitarian myself but I can't really get into LessWrong - seems too cliquish and I would end up engaged in fruitless arguments.

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Re:The Most Terrifying Thought Experiment by eruditely on Friday July 18, 2014 @01:08AM (#8051760)

Alright, well do as you please of course. I have about one post there, yet it offers real and legitimate value. Read the discussion forums and blogs and you'll see that it's not quite like that. I think a lot of peoples opinions of it are formed over a glossed examination. In reality it's not like that, it creates an annoying initial impression(it did with me), but over time I found the value.

It's just not possible to be so completely rational all the time. Cut some guy a break. Come on.

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Re:The Most Terrifying Thought Experiment by anigbrowl on Friday July 18, 2014 @01:15AM (#8051778)

I don't think they're bad or that you ought not to spend time there. I'm just saying it would not be a good idea for me, despite the many likable aspects of the community there.

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