anonymous_coward3 comments on Rationality Quotes 4 - Less Wrong

6 Post author: Eliezer_Yudkowsky 20 January 2008 05:00PM

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Comment author: anonymous_coward3 21 January 2008 03:42:40AM 2 points [-]

These quotes seem to have little to do with rationality. What's the connection?

Comment author: PlacidPlatypus 06 August 2011 05:17:53AM 8 points [-]

The last, long one is basically saying shut up and multiply. Going with your gut intuitions might make you feel better about your decisions, but it won't really get you a better outcome. In your own life, if you want to pay a premium for that feeling of (unjustified) confidence that's one thing, but when other people's lives are at stake you have to be cold about it if you want to do what's really right.

The second and third are about how rationality for its own sake is futile. Rationality is good because it makes you better at what really matters. Your goal is to win; being rational is just the best way to do that.

The first one I believe relates back to the last. The point of altruism is not to make yourself feel warm and fuzzy, it's to help others. So don't go saving the cute puppies that you can see when you can get utils much cheaper somewhere else.

This is all my own opinion, I apologize if I misinterpreted any of it.