Caledonian2 comments on Typicality and Asymmetrical Similarity - Less Wrong

25 Post author: Eliezer_Yudkowsky 06 February 2008 09:20PM

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Comment author: Caledonian2 09 February 2008 03:48:36PM -2 points [-]

If the point wasn't relevant to the argument, it shouldn't have been there. If it was relevant to the argument, its validity is of central importance to the argument.

And if the point was wrong, it definitely shouldn't have been there whether it was relevant or not.

Skepticism is only possible when we do not accept a thing as true. Looking at our own beliefs skeptically requires putting aside our acceptance and returning them to a state of uncertainty - it's a trick not many people have mastered.

The idea that we have to accept things before we can critically examine them is so... deeply wrong that I cannot think of words that adequately encompass the nature of the error.

I need to spend some quality time with an unabridged thesaurus and dictionary set.