billswift comments on Is Morality Given? - Less Wrong

19 Post author: Eliezer_Yudkowsky 06 July 2008 08:12AM

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Comment author: billswift 06 July 2008 06:58:41PM 0 points [-]

Treating those who do not deserve respect with respect is basically spitting on those who do deserve it, especially those who work hard for it. I think you need to treat those you don't know with the "presumption of respect"; that is, if you don't know that they don't deserve it, assume they do. Borrowed from Smith's "presumption of rationality"; when you argue with someone, assume that they are rational until they demonstrate otherwise.