simplicio comments on Rationality Quotes September 2014 - Less Wrong

8 Post author: jaime2000 03 September 2014 09:36PM

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Comment author: Lumifer 01 October 2014 07:53:35PM 2 points [-]

In a world where mental states could be subpoenaed, Clifford would have both a correct and an actionable theory

That's not self-evident to me. First, in this particular case as you yourself note, "Clifford says the shipowner is sincere in his belief". Second, in general, what are you going to do about, basically, stupid people who quite sincerely do not anticipate the consequences of their actions?

That which would be arrived at by a reasonable person ... updating on the same evidence.

That would be a posterior, not a prior.

Comment author: simplicio 01 October 2014 09:31:36PM 0 points [-]

I think Clifford was wrong to say the shipowner was sincere in his belief. In the situation he describes, the belief is insincere - indeed such situations define what I think "insincere belief" ought to mean.

what are you going to do about, basically, stupid people who quite sincerely do not anticipate the consequences of their actions?

Good question. Ought implies can, so in extreme cases I'd consider that to diminish their culpability. For less extreme cases - heh, I had never thought about it before, but I think the "reasonable man" standard is implicitly IQ-normalized. :)

That would be a posterior, not a prior.

Sure.

Comment author: Lumifer 02 October 2014 02:51:06PM *  0 points [-]

I think Clifford was wrong to say the shipowner was sincere in his belief

This is called fighting the hypothetical.

I think the "reasonable man" standard is implicitly IQ-normalized. :)

While that may be so, the Clifford approach relying on the subpoenaed mental states relies on mental states and not on any external standard (including the one called "resonable person").