Will_Newsome comments on Those who aspire to perfection - Less Wrong

-15 Post author: Will_Newsome 23 July 2011 10:24PM

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Comment author: Will_Newsome 23 July 2011 07:47:50AM *  1 point [-]

They don't say that, but it's what they do. (As you noted this is different from falsely aspiring, which is not doing much of anything.) That's my assertion-without-evidence, anyway.

Let me try again: Group 1 understands the Void and chases it, Group 2 understands the Void and doesn't chase it, Group 3 doesn't understand the Void but chases something vaguely like it, Group 4 doesn't understand the Void and doesn't chase something vaguely like it. "Understand" is intentionally vague here and doesn't imply a full understanding, but I assert that there's a somewhat sharp and meaningful discontinuity.

Comment author: byrnema 24 July 2011 03:09:57AM 0 points [-]

What's the Void? Maybe I don't know about it.

Comment author: steven0461 24 July 2011 03:19:57AM 0 points [-]

It's the twelfth virtue.

Comment author: byrnema 24 July 2011 03:41:51AM 1 point [-]

Thanks. So it's a good thing. Something like empiricism or truth and being purposeful and honest in meeting your goals rather than getting distracted.

Why is it called 'the Void'?

When I read the Virtues a long time ago, I thought it meant the concept of 'quality' I read about in the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. But now I don't suppose such a Platonic concept could possibly have been intended.