You're looking at Less Wrong's discussion board. This includes all posts, including those that haven't been promoted to the front page yet. For more information, see About Less Wrong.

buybuydandavis comments on Science, Engineering, and Uncoolness; Here and Now, Then and There - Less Wrong Discussion

9 Post author: Ritalin 08 December 2012 07:52PM

You are viewing a comment permalink. View the original post to see all comments and the full post content.

Comments (41)

You are viewing a single comment's thread.

Comment author: buybuydandavis 09 December 2012 05:26:28AM 3 points [-]

Science and Coolness attract different types of minds, IMO. Science attracts those moved by epistemic truth, Coolness attracts those moved by social truth.

Comment author: beoShaffer 09 December 2012 07:52:48PM 4 points [-]

So, more or less why Paul Graham says nerds are unpopular.

Comment author: buybuydandavis 09 December 2012 10:38:42PM 1 point [-]

It's similar, although I'm also making a point about epistemic truth versus instrumental truth (and in this case, socially instrumental truths.)

Comment author: gjm 09 December 2012 10:22:33AM 1 point [-]

What do you mean by "social truth" and why is it a kind of truth?

Comment author: buybuydandavis 09 December 2012 10:48:53PM 2 points [-]

I mean a socially useful belief. I think it's reasonable usage to call reliably useful beliefs "true". Maybe some here would want to call them socially winning beliefs, but I think that insistence tends only to come from those who privilege and prefer epistemic truths.

Comment author: gjm 09 December 2012 11:25:19PM 0 points [-]

Eww, pragmatism.

Personally, I prefer a notion of truth that is closed under valid logical deductions, and is objective rather than subjective. You're welcome to use the word "truth" however you like, I guess.

Comment author: [deleted] 09 December 2012 03:26:37PM 1 point [-]