Vladimir_Nesov comments on Really Extreme Altruism - Less Wrong

16 Post author: CronoDAS 15 March 2009 06:51AM

You are viewing a comment permalink. View the original post to see all comments and the full post content.

Comments (87)

You are viewing a single comment's thread. Show more comments above.

Comment author: Nornagest 02 May 2011 09:17:33PM *  3 points [-]

I'm not entirely comfortable with this line of thinking. Drawing a distinction between withholding relevant information and providing false information is such a common feature of moral systems that I can't help but think any heuristic that eliminates the distinction is missing something important. It all has to reduce to normality, after all.

That said, biases do exist, and if we can come up with a plausible mechanism by which it'd be psychologically important without being consequentially important then I think I'd be happier with the conclusion. It might just come down to how difficult it is to prove.

Comment author: Vladimir_Nesov 02 May 2011 10:57:54PM *  4 points [-]

Drawing a distinction between withholding relevant information and providing false information is such a common feature of moral systems that I can't help but think any heuristic that eliminates the distinction is missing something important.

The pragmatic distinction is that lies are easier to catch (or make common knowledge), so the lying must be done more carefully than mere withholding of relevant information. Seeing withholding of information as a moral right is a self-delusion part of normal hypocritic reasoning. Breaking it will make you a less effective hypocrite, all else equal.

Comment author: wedrifid 04 May 2011 04:44:34AM *  0 points [-]

Seeing withholding of information as a moral right is a self-delusion part of normal hypocritic reasoning.

I assert that moral right overtly, embracing all relevant underlying connotations. I am in no way deluding myself regarding the basis for that assertion and it is not relevant to any hypocrisy that I may have.

Comment author: Vladimir_Nesov 04 May 2011 09:20:08AM *  1 point [-]

You haven't unpacked anything, black box disagreements don't particularly help to change anyone's mind. We are probably even talking about different things (the idea of "moral right" seems confused to me more generally, maybe you have a better interpretation).

Comment author: wedrifid 04 May 2011 09:47:08AM *  -1 points [-]

You haven't unpacked anything, black box disagreements

It seems to be your black box. I just claim the right to withhold information - and am not thereby deluded or hypocritical. (I am deluded and hypocritical in completely different ways.)

the idea of "moral right" seems confused to me more generally, maybe you have a better interpretation

It isn't language I use by preference, even if I am occasionally willing to go along with it when others are using it. I presented my rejection as a personal assertion for that reason. While I don't personally place much stock in objectively phrased morality I can certainly go along with the game of claiming social rights.

Comment author: Vladimir_Nesov 04 May 2011 01:10:31PM *  1 point [-]

I just claim the right to withhold information - and am not thereby deluded or hypocritical.

Should people in general withhold relevant information more or less? There is only hypocrisy here (bad conduct given a commons problem) if less is better and you act in a way that promotes more, and self-delusion if you also believe this behavior good.

Comment author: wedrifid 05 May 2011 03:47:24AM *  0 points [-]

Should people in general withhold relevant information more or less? There is only hypocrisy here (bad conduct given a commons problem) if less is better and you act in a way that promotes more, and self-delusion if you also believe this behavior good.

It is no coincidence that one of the most effective solutions to a commons problem is the assignment of individual rights.

People in general should not be obliged to share all relevant information with me, nor I with them. In the same way they should not be obliged to give me their stuff whenever I want it. Because that kind of social structure is unstable and has a predictable failure mode of extreme hypocrisy.

No, my asserted right, if adhered to consistently (and I certainly encourage others to assert the same right for themselves) reduces the need for hypocrisy. This is in contrast to the advocation of superficially 'nice' sounding social rules to be supported by penalty of shaming and labeling - that is where the self delusional lies. I prefer to support conventions that might actually work and that don't unduly penalize those that abide by them.

Comment author: Vladimir_Nesov 05 May 2011 09:09:02AM 0 points [-]

Agreed that it's practical.