steven0461 comments on The mind-killer - Less Wrong

23 Post author: ciphergoth 02 May 2009 04:49PM

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Comment author: steven0461 02 May 2009 07:37:05PM 1 point [-]

There's a difference between just being hypersensitive to bad reasoning (usually a good idea), and being hypersensitive to anything that could directly or indirectly cause emotions to flare up (usually not worth the bother).

Comment author: Relsqui 21 September 2010 05:11:14AM 1 point [-]

being hypersensitive to anything that could directly or indirectly cause emotions to flare up (usually not worth the bother)

Molybdenumblue said it really well elsewhere:

If you believe that other human beings are a useful source of insight, you would do well to make some effort not to offend.

Yes, hypersensitivity is by definition uncalled for, but when attempting to communicate with human beings and encourage their reply, it's clearly useful to choose words which are less likely to invoke negative emotions. It's possible to keep the juggling balls of precision, reason, and sensitivity all in the air at the same time; that it can be difficult is not sufficient reason not to try.

Comment author: Vladimir_Nesov 02 May 2009 07:48:14PM *  0 points [-]

Hence I mentioned escalation of your level of sensitivity, meaning to refer to any factors that (potentially) deteriorate constructive thinking. Being hypersensitive to bad reasoning isn't always a good idea, for example if you don't care to reeducate the interlocutor.