roystgnr comments on Only You Can Prevent Your Mind From Getting Killed By Politics - Less Wrong

39 Post author: ChrisHallquist 26 October 2013 01:59PM

You are viewing a comment permalink. View the original post to see all comments and the full post content.

Comments (143)

You are viewing a single comment's thread. Show more comments above.

Comment author: roystgnr 27 October 2013 04:40:48PM 1 point [-]

For that matter, "I estimate human emissions of CO2 caused 49% of the warming of the global climate" is a different question from "I estimate human emissions of CO2 caused 51% of the warming of the global climate". Is it really a fantastic expression of rationality to say that people making the first claim are basically creationists, but people making the second claim are upstanding rationalists whose numbers help to demonstrate how much popular support I have?

If you try to lump people into discrete categories over a continuously varying question then you are inherently introducing ambiguity; the first step toward setting up a Worst Argument in the World is the creation of overly-broad categories, after all. If you demand that Turquoise people self-identify as Blues or Greens, you shouldn't be surprised when you get suspected of having motives other than the pure refinement of rational thought.

Comment author: [deleted] 27 October 2013 05:26:30PM 1 point [-]

Well you can probably say that anyone who thinks humans are entirely responsible, or not responsible at all is irrational on that question.