chaosmosis comments on Rationality Quotes October 2012 - Less Wrong

8 Post author: MBlume 02 October 2012 06:50PM

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Comment author: chaosmosis 04 October 2012 02:57:26AM *  1 point [-]

I think that concept is overused. Almost all impossible things are not worth attempting.

Regardless, that lesson does not apply here. That lesson is useful is because sometimes when our goal is to try we don't actually try as much as we possibly could. But if something is literally impossible in the sense that even if your will power was dozens of times stronger you couldn't do it, the lesson is no longer useful. No matter how hard or how long I try, I will not be able to have a perfectly objectively view of the world. Recognizing my limitations is important because otherwise I waste effort and resources.

Comment author: Eugine_Nier 04 October 2012 10:34:05PM 1 point [-]

That lesson is useful is because sometimes when our goal is to try we don't actually try as much as we possibly could. But if something is literally impossible in the sense that even if your will power was dozens of times stronger you couldn't do it, the lesson is no longer useful.

That's not the situation here.