novalis comments on Humans are utility monsters - Less Wrong

67 Post author: PhilGoetz 16 August 2013 09:05PM

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Comment author: novalis 19 August 2013 06:31:15AM 1 point [-]

Um, what about the actual slaves and ex-slaves?

Comment author: PhilGoetz 19 August 2013 11:07:23PM 7 points [-]

In this analogy, they correspond to non-human animals, who have not yet expressed an opinion on the matter.

Comment author: novalis 20 August 2013 04:46:43AM 2 points [-]

You mean, have not yet expressed an opinion in a way that you understand.

Anyway, the fact that slaves and ex-slaves did advocate for the rights of slaves indicates that closeness to a problem does not necessarily lead one to ignore it.

Comment author: MugaSofer 24 August 2013 01:18:46PM -1 points [-]

They did not benefit from slavery, as the plantation owners did.

Sorry, that was meant to be the implication of "plantation owners" - "they're biased", not "anyone who actually met slaves was fine with it.".