DSimon comments on Note on Terminology: "Rationality", not "Rationalism" - Less Wrong

28 Post author: Vladimir_Nesov 14 January 2011 09:21PM

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Comment author: DSimon 19 January 2011 08:11:33PM 0 points [-]

Another first response I tend to get:

"So, if it were rational to kill yourself, would you do it?"

Comment author: TheOtherDave 19 January 2011 09:14:45PM *  3 points [-]

What do you answer?

My honest answer would be "I don't know; I'd like to think so" but I suspect that would fail to communicate usefully.

Perhaps "Well, for example, if by killing myself I could save the lives of ten other people whose lives were roughly as worthwhile as mine, then I'd like to think I would... though of course you never know until the moment for decision arrives. What would you do in that situation?"