Abd comments on Rationality Quotes November 2012 - Less Wrong

6 [deleted] 06 November 2012 10:38PM

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Comment author: Abd 02 November 2012 05:27:31AM 1 point [-]

I'm trying to figure out what "somewhat" adds. Seems to me it takes something away. It makes a powerful statement into a wimpy one. Sure, if you take "unsettled" to mean something like "check yourself into a psychiatric unit," and take "daily" literally, obviously there would be a problem.

But "unsettled" means just that. Unsettled. Not fixed. In question.

How much in question? What's the ideal level of "unsettled"? And, "Who is asking?" is the question I've been taught to ask. If I ask the question, I'm uncomfortable with "unsettled" and want to be assured that it will only be a little, so that I can continue with "my" philosophy without any significant transformation.

Pretty standard survival thinking.

The rest of the statement makes it clear. It implies a value to "all the universe has to offer." When? Every day.

What philosophy? Part of it? No, the whole thing. Look, I should be so lucky that the whole complex constructed mess disappears. Doesn't happen that way. If it did, the chance of a day with no established philosophy at all would be amazing. Where do I sign up?

(No, if this was an amnesia drug that simply wiped it, I'd refuse. Rather, "unsettled" is just right, up to the point where it isn't attached at all, it's just sitting there, floating, not controlling, visible, available and useful if needed, seen for what it is, a pile of memories and patterns.)

Comment author: [deleted] 02 November 2012 05:33:54AM *  4 points [-]

For a philosophy to be worth paying attention to, it has to constrain expectations. It has to make accurate observations about the universe works. Therefore a philosophy that is the least unsettled by a daily examination of experience is preferable.

EDIT: More succinctly...

Comment author: Randy_M 02 November 2012 03:29:47PM 2 points [-]

Indeed. One should have an open mind but a very judicious customs agent at the gate.