Blueberry comments on Open Thread: July 2010, Part 2 - Less Wrong

6 Post author: Alicorn 09 July 2010 06:54AM

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Comment author: Blueberry 21 July 2010 07:40:47PM -1 points [-]

At the very least, it seems the pain endured by the frogs is terrible, no?

Maybe so, but the question is why we should care.

While stepping on individual worms to put them out of their misery is arguably not the most efficient means to prevent worm suffering, as a practical matter, I think it's probably an activity worth doing

If only for the cheap signaling value.

Comment author: Utilitarian 21 July 2010 11:17:07PM *  3 points [-]

If only for the cheap signaling value.

My point was that the action may have psychological value for oneself, as a way of getting in the habit of taking concrete steps to reduce suffering -- habits that can grow into more efficient strategies later on. One could call this "signaling to oneself," I suppose, but my point was that it might have value in the absence of being seen by others. (This is over and above the value to the worm itself, which is surely not unimportant.)