AnnaSalamon comments on If reductionism is the hammer, what nails are out there? - Less Wrong

14 Post author: AnnaSalamon 11 December 2010 01:58PM

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Comment author: AnnaSalamon 11 December 2010 01:50:09PM *  0 points [-]

You're right -- ethics should be on the list.

I'd had it there originally, and had then removed it on the theory peoples' persistent tendency to postulate an essential and irreducible ethics had more to do with folks having strong and non-truth-seeking motives on the subject than with empirical regularities of a sort that essences could help predict.

But on reflection, one's goals are confusingly different from other sorts of phenomena, so maybe even without strong emotions folks would expect magical essences here.

Comment author: Perplexed 11 December 2010 08:42:40PM *  2 points [-]

You're right -- ethics should be on the list.

Which list? The list of things successfully reduced, or the list of candidates for reduction that you are asking us to help you build?

You wondered why people seem to be confused by this posting. I think it is because there are two lists being discussed here, and you have been extremely unclear in your transitions in distinguishing them.

Or maybe it is just me.