Cyan comments on The Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Truth About Morality and What To Do About It - Less Wrong

38 [deleted] 11 June 2009 12:31PM

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Comment author: Cyan 12 June 2009 02:23:00AM *  3 points [-]

There's been a lot of discussion about that incest question, but I don't think anyone's come out and said whether they think the scenario represents a moral transgression. I wonder what folks here think of the scenario. In fact, let's consider three scenarios:

  • the scenario as stated, with outcome specified (ETA: that is, we know for certain that no harm occurred), under the (default) assumption that these siblings were raised together;
  • the scenario with the outcome not specified, but these two have researched the question and, rightly or wrongly, have come to the conclusion that they are not more at risk than any non-sibling pairing; default assumption about raising;
  • as above, but the siblings only met as adults.

I'm going to rot13 my reply. V svaq Terrar'f cbfvgvba ntnvafg zbeny ernyvfz pbaivapvat. V guvax gur frpbaq fpranevb unf gur zbfg cbgragvny gb or ceboyrzngvp, fb V jvyy bayl nqqerff vg. V cersre crbcyr abg unez bguref, fb V jbhyq or ntnvafg gur rapbhagre bayl vs gur fvoyvatf unq na rkcrpgngvba bs qnzntvat bar nabgure. Va zl fpranevb, gur jbefg V pbhyq cbffvoyl fnl bs gurz vf gung gurve vasreraprf ner cbbe (naq V unira'g ybbxrq vagb gur vffhr va nal terng qrgnvy, fb V jbhyqa'g rira tb fb sne ng gur cerfrag gvzr).

Comment author: Eliezer_Yudkowsky 12 June 2009 03:40:08AM 8 points [-]

There's been a lot of discussion about that incest question, but I don't think anyone's come out and said whether they think the scenario represents a moral transgression.

As specified, boivbhfyl abg. V nz pncnoyr bs qvfgvathvfuvat zl crefbany fdhvpxl srryvatf sebz zl frafr bs evtug naq jebat.

Comment author: prase 12 June 2009 01:17:27PM *  1 point [-]

Va nal bs gur guerr fpranevbf, ab genafterffvba. V qba'g haqrefgnaq jung bhgpbzr fcrpvsvrq zrnaf, ohg vg vf hayvxryl gb vasyhrapr zl qrpvfvba.

Comment author: denisbider 14 June 2009 09:57:56PM 1 point [-]

Would everyone please stop with ROT-13. It's hard to follow. Thank you.

Comment author: Cyan 12 June 2009 02:52:16PM 0 points [-]

In the original scenario, it was specified that no harm at all occurred. Other discussants here brought up the point that even if that were so, if the siblings could reasonably expect that some harm might result, then the act might represent a moral transgression.

Comment author: jhl 12 June 2009 04:37:23PM 0 points [-]

lrf. Gur oebgure naq fvfgre pbhyq snyy vagb ebznagvp ybir. Gurl pbhyq arire or gbtrgure, fb guvf jbhyq pnhfr gurz gbezrag sbe gur erfg bs gurve yvirf.