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Unknowns comments on A Basic Problem of Ethics: Panpsychism? - Less Wrong Discussion

-4 Post author: capybaralet 27 January 2015 06:27AM

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Comment author: Unknowns 28 January 2015 02:10:02AM 6 points [-]

This assumes that I can't care about something without first giving it a physical definition. But this is not true. I care about myself, and I care about myself even if I do not yet know the physical properties that define me. So I can also say "I care about atoms for their own sake if they are sufficiently similar to me", even if I do not yet know what it would take for them to be sufficiently similar to me.

Comment author: Manfred 28 January 2015 04:51:09AM 2 points [-]

It's not that one has to have their one true definition all laid out before any progress can be made.

But if one cannot make any physical predictions if all atoms are "fleem" rather than not fleem, it's usually better to take a break from worrying about whether atoms are fleem. You might just be getting sidetracked by the ol' blegg/rube problem.

Comment author: Unknowns 30 January 2015 01:11:18AM 0 points [-]

I can't make any physical prediction from the fact that I am myself, rather than someone else. It doesn't stop me from caring about myself more than about other people.

Comment author: Manfred 30 January 2015 06:39:22AM 0 points [-]

I think you are confusing a lack of highly available consequences of being you, with a known lack of consequences.