CronoDAS comments on Pancritical Rationalism Can Apply to Preferences and Behavior - Less Wrong

1 Post author: TimFreeman 25 May 2011 12:06PM

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Comment author: Amanojack 25 May 2011 10:46:53PM *  0 points [-]

Why not just phrase it in terms of utility? "Justification" can mean too many different things.

Seeing a black swan diminishes (and for certain applications, destroys) the usefulness of the belief that all swans are white. This seems a lot simpler.

Putting it in terms of beliefs paying rent in anticipated experiences, the belief "all swans are white" told me to anticipate that if I knew there was a black animal perched on my shoulder it could not be a swan. Now that belief isn't as reliable of a guidepost. If black swans are really rare I could probably get by with it for most applications and still use it to win at life most of the time, but in some cases it will steer me wrong - that is, cause me to lose.

So can't this all be better phrased in more established LW terms?

Comment author: CronoDAS 27 May 2011 03:19:11AM *  0 points [-]

I think you've just reinvented pragmatism.

ETA: Ugh, that Wikipedia page is remarkably uninformative... anyone have a better link?