What do you mean by an "associate map" in this context?
I mean that you should check that you're not compartmentalising your beliefs. If we don't regularly test the implications and associations between our beliefs, we can end up asserting contradictory things, like the theist scientist. That said, this:
At any rate, you can take "platonism is a nonstarter for me" to imply "I think that platonism is wrong".
seems to indicate that the exercise isn't necessary for you here.
(What else would "nonstarter" mean?)
At any rate it apparently allows you to defend platonism to some extent. Perhaps 'non-finisher' would be a better term?
As in Belief in the Implied Invisible, a physical theory with strong empirical support could commit you to believing in such a species with high probability.
Yes, but then I could broaden my shooting definition slightly and say "At one time it was possible to shoot this species."; in other words I would give the past empirie that convinced me of the species' existence. Or alternatively, I could go for "in principle" and say that we just need some closed timelike curvies, or other means of extending the lightcone.
At any rate it apparently allows you to defend platonism to some extent.
I didn't see myself as defending platonism, so much as defending a certain kind of existence-talk that I, along with the platonists, think is legitimate. I agree with them that one should be able to consider the possibility that a largest pair of twin primes exists. Furthermore, it should be possible to do this without having a formal procedure for deciding the question in mind, even implicitly.
...Yes, but then I could broaden my shooting definition slightly and say "At one ti
I recognize the title could be more informative. At the same time I believe it says what is important.
I believe in a deity, I believe in mathematical entities in the same way.
The community of LessWrong (from whenceforth: LessWrong) is deeply interesting to me, appearing as a semi-organized atheist, reductionist community.
LessWrong seems very interested in promoting rationality, which I applaud. The effort does seem scattered, though, and this is the reason I post.
One has Eliezer's website with some interesting posts. The same of this community. The community links to some posts when you are coming for the first time into it, and you also have a filter for top posts. One has the blog. And recently, the center for modern rationality (in the same page as harrypoter fanfiction about rationality).
The point being there is no defined roadmap to go from AIC (average irrational chump to make an analogy to Game - which also seems to come up around quite a bit) to RA (again, rationality artist).
I write this post as to maybe generate a discussion on how the efforts could be concentrated and a new direction taken.
Should the creation of the Center for Modern Rationality envision this same concentration, this post may and should be disregard.
If it does not, then I leave it to your consideration.
Hang.