Eliezer_Yudkowsky comments on The Litany Against Gurus - Less Wrong

23 Post author: Eliezer_Yudkowsky 18 December 2007 08:11PM

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Comment author: Eliezer_Yudkowsky 18 December 2007 09:15:52PM 9 points [-]

Robin, this verse is about following someone else - just following with intent to overtake, rather than following with intent to worship. When is it ever appropriate to do the latter?

The Litany describes a dilemma that should only appear in arts, not sciences. In a true science with many contributors, you wouldn't follow any single hero, unless you thought some portion of their work had been left undone.

Nick, that is not their purpose.