soreff comments on Rationality Quotes Thread August 2015 - Less Wrong

6 Post author: bbleeker 03 August 2015 09:50AM

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Comment author: Lumifer 19 August 2015 02:51:22PM 2 points [-]

definition of "anything in this world" that is gerrymandered

Not necessarily: a straightforward steelmanning would re-define "anything in this world" as "anything in this world I can get by paying an appropriate price (not necessarily in money)". Of course, after that the quote sounds much less insightful :-/

Comment author: soreff 20 August 2015 05:15:43AM 1 point [-]

Not necessarily: a straightforward steelmanning would re-define "anything in this world" as "anything in this world I can get by paying an appropriate price (not necessarily in money)".

Even with that restriction, the quote would still be false. In terms of things priced financially, there are lots of objects which cost more than many peoples' lifetime earnings (and good luck trying to raise those earnings by a large multiplier). In terms of things priced in terms of time or effort - there are limits on those too. If, for instance, a nonagenarian enrolled in a Ph.D. program which typically took a decade to complete - they might earn their degree, but the odds are against it.