Caledonian2 comments on Moral Error and Moral Disagreement - Less Wrong

14 Post author: Eliezer_Yudkowsky 10 August 2008 11:32PM

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Comment author: Caledonian2 13 August 2008 05:58:00PM 0 points [-]

You can bring a brain to data, but you can't make it think.

Things like an IQ of 200 indicate that a person has certain cognitive strengths. They DO NOT indicate that those strengths will be utilized. Someone who is not concerned about being dishonest with themselves can self-convince of whatever they please.

At this point, there are no rational grounds for a person to accept the truth claims of, say, the various Christian doctrinal groups. A person who accepts them regardless has already decided to suspend rationality - unless a desire for honesty greater than their desire to continue to believe can be induced in them, they will never be reasoned out of their convinctions. Such induction is impossible in most people and is highly problematic in the remaining few.

Having the capacity to do a thing isn't enough - you need also the motivation to do it. Lacking that motivation, potential becomes irrelevant.