arundelo comments on Christopher Hitchens and Cryonics - Less Wrong

11 Post author: James_Miller 08 August 2010 08:32PM

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Comment author: arundelo 09 August 2010 08:37:12AM 2 points [-]
Comment author: Douglas_Knight 09 August 2010 12:34:34PM *  3 points [-]

Michael Shermer changed his mind about anthropogenic global warming

Is this a good thing? (That is not a rhetorical question!)

As far as I can tell from the essay, he used to claim to hold a Lomborg position, but he doesn't indicate knowing what that position is. I think he switched positions for majoritarian reasons (which he mentions, along with data). That would seem to lose him the "skeptic" label! That might be good if he were explicit about it, but he simultaneously claims to be data-driven, while not presenting any data that Lomborg disagrees with.

Comment author: ciphergoth 09 August 2010 12:39:17PM 8 points [-]

I'm not impressed by someone who changes their position because everyone else in their tribe has done the same. I am impressed by someone who changes their position for majoritarian reasons and says so explicitly.

Comment author: LucasSloan 09 August 2010 05:54:46PM 4 points [-]

I am impressed by someone who changes their position for majoritarian reasons and says so explicitly.

...and is, in fact, correct. Otherwise that could lead you to being impressed by those impressed by majoritarianism enough to become theists.