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Danielle comments on Rationality Quotes: May 2011 - Less Wrong Discussion
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"And what are the rules? Ask me and I will strike you because you are not looking; I will have decapitated you without your knowing. One can try to formulate obscure theories to avoid playing the game or one can play the game to win."
– Daniel Kolak, Wittgenstein’s Tractatus: Translator’s Preface
(Mind, I love formulating obscure theories. Which is perhaps why I also love this quote - because it's such a necessary reminder to myself at times.)
Isn't this an anti-rationality quote?
I took "formulate obscure theories to avoid playing the game" as anti-epistemology, and "one can play the game to win" as instrumental rationality. You could convincingly argue that you need to formulate, test, and confirm extremely not-obscure (clear? obvious?) theories to avoid losing.
It does not seem to be. It seems to be instrumental rationality along the lines of Prince or 'Laws of Power'.