Well, I can certainly ask the number two for goods and services, so if that's a useful operation to perform, there ya go.
My chances of receiving those goods and services won't increase if I do so, but that's something else again.
Similarly, I can ascribe mysterious feelings and special mind states to the influence of a mathematical structure, thank it for the blessings of existence, base my feelings of security and purpose in life on it, and (as you note) invoke it to avert metaphysical questions.
I admit, I don't quite understand how to ground morality on a mathematical structure, but then I don't quite understand how to ground morality on a traditional god, either. (I recognize that many people claim to do this.)
I've never quite understood how grounding morality on a traditional god is supposed to work.
I admit, I don't quite understand how to ground morality on a mathematical structure, but then I don't quite understand how to ground morality on a traditional god, either.
If game-theoretic principles (like Nash-equilibrium) are mathematical structures and contractarianism (such as Gauthier's ethical theory) is true, then mathematical structures "ground morality".
I recognize the title could be more informative. At the same time I believe it says what is important.
I believe in a deity, I believe in mathematical entities in the same way.
The community of LessWrong (from whenceforth: LessWrong) is deeply interesting to me, appearing as a semi-organized atheist, reductionist community.
LessWrong seems very interested in promoting rationality, which I applaud. The effort does seem scattered, though, and this is the reason I post.
One has Eliezer's website with some interesting posts. The same of this community. The community links to some posts when you are coming for the first time into it, and you also have a filter for top posts. One has the blog. And recently, the center for modern rationality (in the same page as harrypoter fanfiction about rationality).
The point being there is no defined roadmap to go from AIC (average irrational chump to make an analogy to Game - which also seems to come up around quite a bit) to RA (again, rationality artist).
I write this post as to maybe generate a discussion on how the efforts could be concentrated and a new direction taken.
Should the creation of the Center for Modern Rationality envision this same concentration, this post may and should be disregard.
If it does not, then I leave it to your consideration.
Hang.