lukeprog comments on The Urgent Meta-Ethics of Friendly Artificial Intelligence - Less Wrong

45 Post author: lukeprog 01 February 2011 02:15PM

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Comment author: lukeprog 01 February 2011 06:18:25PM 1 point [-]

Yes, that's a claim that in my experience, most philosophers disagree with. It's one I'll need to argue for. But I do think one's meta-ethical views have large implications for one's normative views that are often missed.

Comment author: utilitymonster 01 February 2011 09:38:59PM 1 point [-]

Even if we grant that one's meta-ethical position will determine one's normative theory (which is very contentious), one would like some evidence that it would be easier to find the correct meta-ethical view than it would be to find the correct (or appropriate, or whatever) normative ethical view. Otherwise, why not just do normative ethics?

Comment author: lukeprog 01 February 2011 09:49:30PM 3 points [-]

My own thought is that doing meta-ethics may illuminate normative theory, but I could be wrong about that. For example, I think doing meta-ethics right seals the deal for consequentialism, but not utilitarianism.

Comment author: Vladimir_Nesov 01 February 2011 11:14:55PM 1 point [-]

My own thought is that doing meta-ethics may illuminate normative theory, but I could be wrong about that.

Since nobody understands these topics with enough clarity, and they seem related, I don't see how anyone can claim with confidence that they actually aren't related. So you saying that you "could be wrong about that" doesn't communicate anything about your understanding.