SoullessAutomaton comments on An observation on cryocrastination - Less Wrong

9 Post author: AndrewH 22 July 2009 08:41PM

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Comment author: eirenicon 22 July 2009 10:41:15PM 3 points [-]
  1. I argue that doing X is rational.
  2. Other people irrationally disagree
  3. I abandon the rational argument and use other tactics to make them agree with me

I know down to my gut this is a bad idea.

If rationalists on LW are being irrational, let them grow to become better rationalists and try again. To act otherwise is to fall prey to the Dark Arts. Accepting a rational belief for irrational reasons means you can reject that belief for equally irrational reasons.

Comment author: SoullessAutomaton 23 July 2009 01:17:52AM *  8 points [-]

There is a large, but subtle, difference between these scenarios:

  • Abandon rational argument and use manipulative tactics
  • Rework and rephrase the rational argument so as to avoid triggering some reflexive bias

I'm certainly not advocating the former and didn't mean to sound like I was.

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