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Squark comments on Two arguments for not thinking about ethics (too much) - Less Wrong Discussion

29 Post author: Kaj_Sotala 27 March 2014 02:15PM

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Comment author: Squark 27 March 2014 07:38:34PM 4 points [-]

Maybe the best approach is separating time scales. On a short time scale, one should make ethical choices emotionally, since emotions are powerful motivators. On a long time scale, one should gradually calibrate one's emotional responses based on more abstract "cold" reasoning. For example, if your abstract reasoning led you to conclude that eating animals is wrong, you can look for ways to develop a negative emotional response to it. Essentially, it's a dark arts technique. Of course, the "cold" reasoning still has to be grounded in emotional intuition: after all, there's nothing else to ground it in.