RichardKennaway comments on A simple counterexample to deBlanc 2007? - Less Wrong

3 Post author: PhilGoetz 30 May 2011 05:09AM

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Comment author: PhilGoetz 30 May 2011 06:03:35PM *  0 points [-]

This is supposed to be a counterexample. A counterexample means you are allowed to select any possible case. This is one possible case. I am not "replacing S_I by something completely different." I am choosing one possible S_I. If you don't like my choice of S_I, you need to show that it is not a possible case. That would include showing that I have chosen an S_I that is inconsistent with my earlier choices. Try to do that.

If I had specified the set of observations I, then also specified S_I in a way not determined by I, then you could make that argument. As I have not specified I, you need to show that my choice of S_I is inconsistent with any possible set I in order to make the argument you're trying to make.

Comment author: RichardKennaway 31 May 2011 08:21:59AM *  0 points [-]

As I have not specified I, you need to show that my choice of S_I is inconsistent with any possible set I in order to make the argument you're trying to make.

In the original paper, S_I is determined by I. There is no I for which your set S_I is the set defined in the paper. It really is as simple as that.