Comment on A Sense That More Is Possible

Fri, 08 Apr 2011 17:59:02 GMT

I disagree, especially here on Lw! When user-Bob tells user-Alice that her behavior is immoral, he's probably setting out to help her maximize her utility function more effectively.

Or at least, that's why I do it. A virtue is a trait of character that is good for the person who has it.

ETA: Otherwise, the argument is fully general. For humanity in general, when Alice says x to Bob, she is trying to enforce a perceived social contract, or score points, or signal tribal affiliation. So, you shouldn't listen to anybody about anything w.r.t. becoming more instrumentally effective. And that seems obviously wrong, at least here.

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