I’m sorry if my point wasn’t made clearly. Things are taboos because of social customs & contexts, my point wasn’t meant to be normative — just point out that the taboo isn’t against violence against ai labs, it’s against violence more broadly.
Yes but what I’m saying is that this isn’t true—few people are absolute pacifists. So violence in general isn’t taboo—I doubt most people object to things like laws (which ultimately rely on the threat of violence).
So why is it that violence in this specific context is taboo?
You asked why this sort of violence is taboo, not whether we should break that taboo or not. I’m merely answering your question (“Why is violence in this specific context taboo?”). The answer is because it’s illegal. Everyone understands, either implicitly or explicitly, that the state has a monopoly on violence. Therefore all extralegal violence is taboo. This is a separate issue from whether that violence is moral, just, necessary, etc.
Everyone understands, either implicitly or explicitly, that the state has a monopoly on violence.
Not true.
For example, many organizations in Mexico do not recognize that the Mexican state has a monopoly on violence. And they actively bring violence upon those who try to claim it on behalf of the state, sometimes successfully.
So, you would have advocated against war with Nazi Germany?
I’m sorry if my point wasn’t made clearly. Things are taboos because of social customs & contexts, my point wasn’t meant to be normative — just point out that the taboo isn’t against violence against ai labs, it’s against violence more broadly.
Yes but what I’m saying is that this isn’t true—few people are absolute pacifists. So violence in general isn’t taboo—I doubt most people object to things like laws (which ultimately rely on the threat of violence).
So why is it that violence in this specific context is taboo?
Because it’s illegal.
This is a pedantic comment. So the idea is you should obey the law even when the law is unjust?
You asked why this sort of violence is taboo, not whether we should break that taboo or not. I’m merely answering your question (“Why is violence in this specific context taboo?”). The answer is because it’s illegal. Everyone understands, either implicitly or explicitly, that the state has a monopoly on violence. Therefore all extralegal violence is taboo. This is a separate issue from whether that violence is moral, just, necessary, etc.
Not true.
For example, many organizations in Mexico do not recognize that the Mexican state has a monopoly on violence. And they actively bring violence upon those who try to claim it on behalf of the state, sometimes successfully.