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igoresque comments on The Benefits of Rationality? - Less Wrong
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This is an interesting debate. I believe all the truth we'll ever get will be like the tube map: good for purpose X, and no more. Or at least, bad for purpose Y. Wanting more is surrendering to metaphysics, realism, platonism, absolutism - whatever you wish to call it.
I believe platonism shaped first the Hellenistic world, then christianity (Paul was of Greek culture, the whole new testament was written in Greek, and books like the one of John are soaked in primary platonic philosophy), and rules until today. It also really sucks. Because it makes people to not want to be less wrong. They want to be completely, absolutely right, in a way you can never claim with the help of mere rationality. Only delusion can help with that.
The Truth Pilgrim's progress goes like this:
Slightly Rational -> Less Wrong -> Delusional
Yep -- and that's probably as close to an "absolute truth" as you can get. Robert Anton Wilson's "Quantum Psychology" (bad title, awesome book, some parts approach GEB in awesomeness) has some very good information along these lines, along with lots of "class exercises" that might be useful for developing an instrumental rationality group.
Good point! Though inasmuch as one can see the history of ideas as a conflict between Plato and Aristotle (not an entirely fruitless endeavor) it's worth noting that Aristotle is still alive and kicking.