mark_spottswood comments on Moore's Paradox - Less Wrong

47 Post author: Eliezer_Yudkowsky 08 March 2009 02:27AM

You are viewing a comment permalink. View the original post to see all comments and the full post content.

Comments (21)

You are viewing a single comment's thread. Show more comments above.

Comment author: kurige 08 March 2009 07:31:49AM 3 points [-]

Weasel words, as you call them, are a necessary part of any rational discussion. The scientific equivalent would be, "evidence indicates" or "statistics show".

Comment author: mark_spottswood 09 March 2009 01:28:49PM 8 points [-]

On this we agree. If we have 60% confidence that a statement is correct, we would be misleading others if we asserted that it was true in a way that signalled a much higher confidence. Our own beliefs are evidence for others, and we should be careful not to communicate false evidence.

Stripped down to essentials, Eliezer is asking you to assert that God exists with more confidence than it sounds like you have. You are not willing to say it without weasel words because to do so would be to express more certainty than you actually have. Is that right?