I think this is a useful heuristic because humans are just not good at calculating this stuff. Ethical Injunctions suggests that you do in fact check with your emotions when the numbers say something novel. (This is why I’m sceptical about deciding on numbers pulled out of your arse rather than pulling the decision directly out of your arse.)
This seems better-suited for MoreEmotional than LessWrong.
I think this is a useful heuristic because humans are just not good at calculating this stuff. Ethical Injunctions suggests that you do in fact check with your emotions when the numbers say something novel. (This is why I’m sceptical about deciding on numbers pulled out of your arse rather than pulling the decision directly out of your arse.)
I don’t think Banks even believed that, though. Several of his books certainly seem to be evidence to the contrary.