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lmm comments on Open thread, Oct. 27 - Nov. 2, 2014 - Less Wrong Discussion

5 Post author: MrMind 27 October 2014 08:58AM

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Comment author: lmm 28 October 2014 07:24:39PM 3 points [-]

I highly doubt the subjects were drunk enough to have trouble figuring out that 5 > 1. So one could equally offer an interpretation that e.g. drunk people answered honestly, while sober people wanted to signal that they were too caring to kill someone under any circumstances.

It's a fascinating result, but I don't think the interpretation is a slam dunk.

Comment author: Coscott 30 October 2014 01:11:12AM -1 points [-]

I doubt this. I conjecture that more people lie and say they would be utilitarian than lie and say they would not be utilitarian. I hope that I would do the utilitarian thing, but I am not sure that I actually would be able to get myself to do it. (Maybe I would be more likely to actually do it if I were drunk)

Comment author: lmm 30 October 2014 01:07:24PM 2 points [-]

On LW sure, being utilitarian is the thing you want to signal here. Ordinary people in a bar? I highly doubt it. Being unwilling to kill is far, far more socially acceptable than the utilitarian answer.