Do you have any evidence that the largest negative reaction comes from actually answering the question?
My feeling is that the largest negative social repercussion comes from rejecting the question. However, I’m not positive that I’m not generalizing from my own initial reaction to those who reject the question.
My general feeling is that taking a stance on such questions would be respected by those who I deal with on a day-to-day basis, and dodging the question would be less respected.
I respect answering these questions more than dodging them and answer them myself whenever I know the answer (I would pull the switch; I would also push the fat man). I don’t have a problem with being candid because most people whose opinions I care about prefer candidness. In one previous discussion with a bunch of non-rationalists who probably don’t consider the questions often, there wasn’t much dodging.
Do you have any evidence that the largest negative reaction comes from actually answering the question?
My feeling is that the largest negative social repercussion comes from rejecting the question. However, I’m not positive that I’m not generalizing from my own initial reaction to those who reject the question.
My general feeling is that taking a stance on such questions would be respected by those who I deal with on a day-to-day basis, and dodging the question would be less respected.
I respect answering these questions more than dodging them and answer them myself whenever I know the answer (I would pull the switch; I would also push the fat man). I don’t have a problem with being candid because most people whose opinions I care about prefer candidness. In one previous discussion with a bunch of non-rationalists who probably don’t consider the questions often, there wasn’t much dodging.