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Coscott comments on Use Your Identity Carefully - Less Wrong Discussion

76 Post author: Ben_LandauTaylor 22 August 2013 01:14AM

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Comment author: Coscott 22 August 2013 05:25:32PM *  0 points [-]

I don't see how we can try to keep our identity on beliefs small. It is good to have a lot of beliefs. If I believe X, then because I should analyze my beliefs from a meta standpoint (Ask things like "What do I think I know?") then I should believe "I believe X," which is the same to me as "I am someone who believes X."

The possible difference I can think of is "I am someone who believes X" has an connotation that this is unchanging over time. But I would not call this keeping my identity small. I would call it keeping my identity fluid.

Comment author: Creutzer 23 August 2013 04:09:20AM 3 points [-]

It seems to me that the intention behind the phrase "keep your identity small" was clearly "keep that part of your identity which you intend to be immutable small". Some people - including myself - presumably use the word "identity" to mean just these parts.