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shminux comments on How to deal with non-realism? - Less Wrong Discussion

12 Post author: loup-vaillant 22 May 2012 01:58PM

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Comment author: shminux 22 May 2012 03:53:59PM *  -1 points [-]

There is something. All that there is, we generally call "reality". Note that by this definition, reality is unique.

This is a very useful model, but only a model. If anything, it requires an extra assumption compared to the straightforward instrumentalism, thus violating the spirit of the Occam's razor.

That's little more than tautologies here.

To quote EY, belief feels like truth from the inside. Have you rationally examined your belief in reality?

Comment author: Alsadius 23 May 2012 03:27:59PM 1 point [-]

Reason without a starting point forms a very, very small closed loop with nothing interesting inside. "Cognito ergo sum" is about the extent of it. In order to do anything interesting, you need to assume that you can rely on your senses at least a little bit, and there's not really very much you can do to examine that belief.

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