frelkins comments on Against Devil's Advocacy - Less Wrong

28 Post author: Eliezer_Yudkowsky 09 June 2008 04:15AM

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Comment author: frelkins 09 June 2008 02:55:22PM 0 points [-]

@Guenther Griendl

Obviously you have never read, for example, Cicero. Truth really mattered to many ancient public figures and to the most prominent ancient philosophers.

I cannot think of anyone whose love for the truth exceeded Socrates. Because he understood that truth has important public ramifications, not merely private, he basically martyred himself. Prominent figures must not be allowed to lie, or to have their faulty beliefs go unchallenged.

Public lies put people's lives at risk, in case you've noticed. Thucydides gives several sad examples.