Vaniver comments on Self-Congratulatory Rationalism - Less Wrong

51 Post author: ChrisHallquist 01 March 2014 08:52AM

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Comment author: Vaniver 25 April 2014 02:58:08PM 1 point [-]

In more general terms, hardware = brain and software = mind.

Echoing the others, this is more dualistic than I'm comfortable with. It looks to me that in people, you just have 'wetware' that is both hardware and software simultaneously, rather than the crisp distinction that exists between them in silicon.

you want me to actively seek new evidence and I think it's rarely worthwhile.

Correct. I do hope that you noticed that this still relies on a potentially biased judgment (I think it's rarely worthwhile is a counterfactual prediction about what would happen if you did apply the PoC), but beyond that I think we're at mutual understanding.

Comment author: Lumifer 25 April 2014 03:36:30PM 0 points [-]

Echoing the others, this is more dualistic than I'm comfortable with

To quote myself, we're talking about "model[ing] people as having a hardware layer and a software layer". And to quote Monty Python, it's only a model. It is appropriate for some uses and inappropriate for others. For example, I think it's quite appropriate for a neurosurgeon. But it's probably not as useful for thinking about biofeedback, to give another example.

I do hope that you noticed that this still relies on a potentially biased judgment

Of course, but potentially biased judgments is all I have. They are still all I have even if I were to diligently apply PoC everywhere.