Nick_Tarleton comments on A Less Wrong singularity article? - Less Wrong

28 Post author: Kaj_Sotala 17 November 2009 02:15PM

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Comment author: wuwei 21 November 2009 01:29:15AM *  3 points [-]

I'm a moral cognitivist too but I'm becoming quite puzzled as to what truth-conditions you think "should" statements have. Maybe it would help if you said which of these you think are true statements.

1) Eliezer Yudkowsky should not kill babies.

2) Babyeating aliens should not kill babies.

3) Sharks should not kill babies.

4) Volcanoes should not kill babies.

5) Should not kill babies. (sic)

The meaning of "should not" in 2 through 5 are intended to be the same as the common usage of the words in 1.

Comment author: Nick_Tarleton 21 November 2009 02:12:09AM *  2 points [-]

The meaning of "should not" in 2 through 5 are intended to be the same as the common usage of the words in 1.

I don't think there is one common usage of the word "should".

(ETA: I asked the nearest three people if "volcanoes shouldn't kill people" is true, false, or neither, assuming that "people shouldn't kill people" is true or false so moral non-realism wasn't an issue. One said true, two said neither.)