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Val comments on Are we failing the ideological Turing test in the case of ISIS? (a crazy ideas thread) - Less Wrong Discussion

-1 Post author: Val 09 January 2016 04:42PM

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Comment author: Val 09 January 2016 08:59:10PM 4 points [-]

Another straw falsehood to set beside the first one

Of course it is! That's the main point. Did it really not come across what I meant when I wrote that my goal was not to defend or attack the elements of the list? These are the most common theories about what isis wants, this is why they are in the list in the first place. I only listed #1 to counteract the others which were assuming more intelligence and rationalism from them most people would give credit.

I'm open to suggestions how this topic could be improved to better serve its intended purpose: to gather weird and unusual theories about what the true agenda of isis was, were they much more rational and more intelligent than most people give credit to them.

Comment author: RichardKennaway 09 January 2016 09:25:49PM 5 points [-]

These are the most common theories about what isis wants

The theory that they want what they say they want is missing, but I don't know what population you've been looking at to say what is most common.

to gather weird and unusual theories about what the true agenda of isis was

Your first three paragraphs suggested to me that you were interested in discussing the reality of ISIS. All weird and unusual theories are rendered false off the bat by their frankness about their aims and their actions in pursuing them. This is hearing hoofbeats and inviting people to consider what sort of weird and unusual creatures could possibly be causing them.

were they much more rational and more intelligent than most people give credit to them.

The whole post looks like a determination to fail the ideological Turing test.

Comment author: DanArmak 09 January 2016 09:30:02PM 0 points [-]

what the true agenda of isis was, were they much more rational and more intelligent than most people give credit to them.

Ultimate goals are orthogonal to instrumental rationality and intelligence. Why does assuming they are rational and intelligent make you distrustful of their stated goals?