Zubon comments on Rationality Quotes June 2013 - Less Wrong

3 Post author: Thomas 03 June 2013 03:08AM

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Comment author: Zubon 02 June 2013 08:28:33PM *  2 points [-]

It was a very ordinary tragedy, she supposed, but no less a cause for regret because it was so common. Like a hint, a foretaste of grief, it was an original, even unique experience for everyone it affected, no matter how often it had happened in the past to others.

And how did you avoid it?

Against a Dark Background by Iain M. Banks. The context differs, but it reminded me of the folks working to eliminate death.

Comment author: Zubon 05 June 2013 12:15:28AM 4 points [-]

I should perhaps explain that perceived connection. I see it in two pieces.

One is a counterpart to Joy in the Merely Real. Just because something is commonplace does not mean it is not wonderful. Just because something is commonplace does not mean it is not horrible. The end of each conscious life is a distinct tragedy, even if it happens 100 times per minute. Every one counts.

The other is a case against rationalization. Looking for a greater meaning or epic poetry in death ignores the basic problem that it is bad. A million deaths is a million tragedies, not a statistic. Shut up and multiply. We all come from cultures that spent millennia developing rationalizations for the inevitability of death. If a solution is possible, and possible within our lifetimes, the proper response is to find it rather than growing effusive about "a great and tragic beauty."

(And, of course, how do you avoid it?)

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