David_Gerard comments on Epistle to the New York Less Wrongians - Less Wrong

90 Post author: Eliezer_Yudkowsky 20 April 2011 09:13PM

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Comment author: David_Gerard 22 April 2011 09:25:34PM *  2 points [-]

For a soldier analogy, how about women in the armed forces? Perhaps the IDF, who have a good reputation for kicking arse in practical tests. (Even if the War Nerd thinks they're overrated.)

I am entirely unconvinced that a rationalism brought up without this bit of humanity will actually survive its first exposure to air, and your analogy doesn't convince me. (You are of course entirely entitled not to care if I'm convinced.)

Though there may be, e.g., past data you can point to that shows this as the important criterion.

And, as Nancy Leibovitz points out, an experiment would be worth running.