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Polymeron comments on I've had it with those dark rumours about our culture rigorously suppressing opinions - Less Wrong Discussion

26 Post author: Multiheaded 25 January 2012 05:43PM

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Comment author: Polymeron 07 February 2012 02:40:33PM 0 points [-]

You are attributing to me things I did not say.

I don't think "truths" discovered under false assumptions are likely to be, in fact, true. I am not worried about them acquiring dangerous truths; rather, I am worried about people acquiring (and possibly acting on) false beliefs. I remind you that false beliefs may persist as cached thoughts even once the assumption is no longer believed in.

Nor do I want my political opponents to not search for truth; but I would prefer that they (and I) try to contend with each others' fundamental differences before focusing on how to fully realize their (or my) current position.

Comment author: cousin_it 07 February 2012 06:41:02PM *  2 points [-]

I don't understand your comment. Do you think statements like "the most efficient way to destroy our country is to do X" don't qualify as truths because they are "discovered under false assumptions"? It seems to me that such statements can be true and very useful to know even if you don't want to destroy the country, hence my original proposal. Maybe you're using a nonstandard meaning of "truth" and "assumption"?