Nick_Tarleton comments on Morality and International Humanitarian Law - Less Wrong

2 Post author: David_J_Balan 30 November 2009 03:27AM

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Comment author: DanArmak 30 November 2009 06:47:37PM -1 points [-]

My knee-jerk reaction is that having these standards may indeed reduce overall casualties

I think that's the argument that by default requires proof, not the other way around. Intuitively, having external independent standards can only prevent me from best accomplishing my goal, whatever my goal may be. If my goal is to kill while also killing few civilians, I'll go for that, but I'll do it more efficiently in most cases than if I have to follow laws I don't believe in.

Comment author: Nick_Tarleton 03 December 2009 08:29:43PM *  0 points [-]

My knee-jerk reaction is that having these standards may indeed reduce overall casualties

I think that's the argument that by default requires proof, not the other way around.

I would say the opposite, out of conservatism, but I don't expect to be able to argue the point as anything more than headbutting intuitions.

If my goal is to kill while also killing few civilians, I'll go for that, but I'll do it more efficiently in most cases than if I have to follow laws I don't believe in.

True of normative reasoners, not of humans. See Ethical Inhibitions.

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