Scottbert comments on The Meaning of Right - Less Wrong

30 Post author: Eliezer_Yudkowsky 29 July 2008 01:28AM

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Comment author: Scottbert 12 October 2011 08:43:23PM 1 point [-]

The one missing piece here seems to be how each individual human's morality blob corresponds to any other's morality blob. I suppose we could argue that the CEV of all humans would be the same (certainly my own CEV would want happiness etc for people I will never meet or have knowledge of), but you didn't actually say that and if you meant it you should say it. Is this covered in an interpersonal morality post elsewhere?

I spent much time searching for the morality outside myself once I lost faith, although I assumed it would hold true to most of my assumptions rather than be something scarily different. the best I could find was Kant's categorical imperative since it claimed to make good logical, though I found it to be flawed as conventionally interpreted (although I suppose it may be as good a source as any of rules to follow in general).

That morality is extremely complicated and not reducible to a few simple rules does make sense to me upon reflection, however difficult it makes it to argue with religious people to whom 'The bible has guidelines, but the real specific answer is complicated' is not an acceptable answer -- but that's their problem, not a problem with the truth.

Comment author: lessdazed 12 October 2011 10:57:45PM 2 points [-]

the CEV of all humans would be the same...my own CEV

Please excuse me for nitpicking. But I don't think that's how "coherent" is intended.

Comment author: Scottbert 13 October 2011 12:14:45AM *  0 points [-]

D'oh, you're right, so the "coherent" extrapolated volition is a concept applied to all of humanity, not just one person (that would just be an extrapolated volition?). That's what I get for reading the CEV post days ago and then reading this one after forgetting part of it.

So, morality as Eliezer is trying to explain it, is to do your best to understand and work for the CEV?

Comment author: torekp 16 July 2012 10:16:05PM 0 points [-]

Is this covered in an interpersonal morality post elsewhere?

Question seconded.

Elizier's view is pretty elegant. It could use some head-to-head engagement with some standard philosophical argument strategies, however.