SkyDK comments on Guardians of the Truth - Less Wrong

31 Post author: Eliezer_Yudkowsky 15 December 2007 06:44PM

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Comment author: SkyDK 24 March 2012 04:36:23PM 0 points [-]

I think it's easier to go deeper yet simpler. I would say that this is close, but still missing "Questions like that don't have neat single-factor answers. But I would argue that one of the factors has to do with assuming a defensive posture toward the truth, versus a productive posture toward the truth."

and: "When people connect their personal value and self-esteem to a given belief they're prone to persecute anyone claiming that given belief to be false, since they see that claim as undermining their reason to exist".

Or more plainly: Debates become existential struggles for some people, because they ultimately do not separate themselves from their believes and opinions. Hence they react extremely strongly to any perceived threat to their belief or opinion; occasionally as strongly (or stronger) than had their physical person been threatened with extinction.