SilasBarta comments on Rationality Quotes: October 2009 - Less Wrong

7 Post author: Eliezer_Yudkowsky 22 October 2009 04:06PM

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Comment author: SilasBarta 22 October 2009 08:40:25PM 0 points [-]

No, the quote isn't accurate. There are lots more worse feelings than being wrong in an argument. If you can't think of one, start from here.

Comment author: eirenicon 22 October 2009 09:31:06PM 2 points [-]

Well, if you want to pick nits, a vacuum cleaner sucks more than realizing you're wrong in an argument.

Comment author: SilasBarta 22 October 2009 09:47:32PM *  2 points [-]

That's not picking nits; that's switching out a metaphorical definition mid-discussion for a more literal one, a species of "moving the goalposts".

This is picking nits.

Comment author: eirenicon 22 October 2009 10:08:28PM 2 points [-]

Well, I don't feel bad at all, so obviously you haven't won this argument yet. Unless I'm wrong, of course.

Comment author: wedrifid 23 October 2009 02:39:06AM 3 points [-]

Well, I don't feel bad at all, so obviously you haven't won this argument yet.\

This does much to explain the mechanism by which humans avoid realizing when they are wrong!

Comment author: SilasBarta 22 October 2009 10:40:27PM 0 points [-]

I have a pound of Sweet-n-Sour pork for you to eat, and some scratchy toilet paper that can correct that ...

Comment author: RobinZ 22 October 2009 08:47:16PM 1 point [-]

It's hyperbole, then.

Comment author: SilasBarta 22 October 2009 08:51:09PM *  1 point [-]

Hyperbole that only seems clever to people who haven't experienced real pain. (Note: didn't mod down, because the follow-up discussion is interesting.)

Comment author: RobinZ 22 October 2009 09:00:05PM *  5 points [-]

It's excessive hyperbole, then. You would have preferred the quote went more like the following.

The most embarrassing point in any argument is the one where you realize you're wrong.

Comment author: SilasBarta 22 October 2009 09:05:50PM 0 points [-]

That works :-)

Comment author: billswift 24 October 2009 04:54:04PM 1 point [-]

I'm curious as to how you define real pain then. I had shingles 9 years ago and an infection that went systemic a year ago that was even more painful, though thankfully only for a day.