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gwern comments on Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality discussion thread, part 15, chapter 84 - Less Wrong Discussion
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On the Stone's mention: http://lesswrong.com/lw/bfo/harry_potter_and_the_methods_of_rationality/6ahg
In a rather large "Oh Duh" moment: if Harry knew about the stone, he would insist it be used on everyone. Barring some unforeseen mechanism that prevents its mass use, he would view Dumbledore as Evil for knowing how to keep everyone alive, and not acting on it.
See also this exchange on the tvtropes forum, where EY clarifies at least one of his reasons for removing the Griphook line.
It's a bit late to chime in there, but if EY actually thinks that dying people have no interest in things that extend life, he's crazy.
His exact words don't imply that:
Of course, most dying people would have huge interest in extending their life. But they're not most people. Also, ponder the real-world evidence about revealed preferences of tobacco users (among other self-destructive practices). Having an interest often isn't enough to act upon it.
Tobacco users generally feel that it's worth the loss of lifespan(or that "I don't want to live at that age anyways", or "I'll beat the odds", or other such irrational arguments), and there's very few people who wouldn't pay quite a lot to arrest aging even if they couldn't reverse it.
Well it's been five days now so as a newly minted ex-tobacco smoker: There are plenty who can and will honestly say "My will is not strong enough". I was 21 before I ever smoked a full cigarette. Believe me when I say that there are people who know in their bones how stupid smoking is, who make no defense based on reasons they will own, they will stand behind, but who keep smoking nevertheless. Nicotine may not be heroin (and I'm not going to find out) but it is truly some good shit.
Don't start smoking kids.
Yeah... smoking kids is seriously frowned upon by your neighbors.