Vladimir_Nesov comments on LessWrong opinion of Nietzsche? - Less Wrong

3 Post author: TheatreAddict 25 November 2011 04:08PM

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Comment author: RobertLumley 25 November 2011 05:05:32PM 20 points [-]

The modifier "rationalist" is pretty unnecessary - I'd just ask for "Opinions on Nietzsche". There seems no good reason for putting it in and several good ones for leaving it out. As a semantic point, it sends off dark arts alarms when you ask for the "rationalist opinion" on Nietzsche. While I certainly think that, in this case, it's possible to rationally evaluate Nietzsche, asking for consensus of "rationalist opinions" is going to get very cultish - it implies that you're not a rationalist if you disagree. And there shouldn't necessarily be a "rationalist opinion" on everything. There are some things that aren't issues of rationality - like asking for the "rationalist opinion" on what the best flavor of ice cream is.

Comment author: Vladimir_Nesov 26 November 2011 04:32:44AM *  6 points [-]

There are some things that aren't issues of rationality - like asking for the "rationalist opinion" on what the best flavor of ice cream is.

Nope. It's either an error in the question (not including "for whom"), or a matter on which one can be in error. Ice cream bias and so on. Very serious stuff.