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.

Gunnar_Zarncke comments on Ultimatums in the Territory - Less Wrong Discussion

12 Post author: malcolmocean 28 September 2015 10:01PM

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

Comments (23)

You are viewing a single comment's thread. Show more comments above.

Comment author: Gunnar_Zarncke 01 October 2015 09:55:56PM 1 point [-]

As ultimatums have to use some distinction - some either/or-construction - this always includes the escape/further negotiation via proposing another distinction. That might also apply to reality in so far as the ultimatum issued by reality exists only in the interpretation as binary by the observer.

Comment author: Lumifer 02 October 2015 05:15:55PM 1 point [-]

As ultimatums have to use some distinction - some either/or-construction - this always includes the escape/further negotiation via proposing another distinction.

Huh? The point of the ultimatum is that negotiations are over, you can propose what you want, but this does not provide any escape.

Comment author: Gunnar_Zarncke 02 October 2015 10:34:57PM 1 point [-]

Yes, ultimatums in the default sense of "a demand whose fulfillment is requested in a specified period of time and which is backed up by a threat" are basically enforced commands. But apparently we are using many more loose readings of the term - basically those introduced by the OP. Namely either/or-constructions which interpret something real as contingent (otherwise no choice).