Yvain comments on Soulless morality - Less Wrong

20 Post author: PhilGoetz 14 March 2009 09:48PM

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Comment author: Yvain 15 March 2009 12:07:50AM 8 points [-]

I don't really buy that. As a wise man once said "We were put here to serve others. Why others were put here is beyond me."

If the only value is to help others, and the others' only value is to help you, then isn't the whole system ultimately valueless?

Comment author: billswift 15 March 2009 03:37:32PM *  2 points [-]

Sorry for the confusion. A person's primary value should be himself. His value to others is what he contributes. I don't expect you to value me, except for what I may contribute, through my work or writing or whatever, to whatever you value.

Comment author: Yvain 15 March 2009 03:47:02PM 3 points [-]

Same question as I asked scientism on the other thread: if I started torturing a randomly selected 8-year old child, would this bother you? Assume the child has never contributed anything important, and that my torture will stop before it kills him or scars him so badly that he can't contribute in the future.