Yes, this is the unstated policy we’ve all been working under up until this point, and it’s worked. Which is why it’s so irrational to propose a censorship rule.
First: “Rational” and “irrational” describe mental processes, not conclusions. A social rule can be useful or useless, beneficial or harmful, well- or ill-defended ….
(“If deleting posts that propose violence would benefit Less Wrong, I want to believe that deleting posts that propose violence would benefit Less Wrong. If deleting posts that propose violence would not benefit Less Wrong, I want not to believe that deleting posts that propose violence would …”)
Second: Consider the difference between “we’re not assholes” and “we don’t want to look like assholes”.
Or between “I will cooperate” and “I want you to think that I will cooperate.” A defector can rationally conclude the latter, but not the former (since it is false of defectors).
Counter-proposal:
We don’t contemplate proposals of violence against identifiable people because we’re not assholes.
I mean, seriously, what the fuck, people?
Generalizations: on average accurate. In specific wrong.
Yes, this is the unstated policy we’ve all been working under up until this point, and it’s worked. Which is why it’s so irrational to propose a censorship rule.
First: “Rational” and “irrational” describe mental processes, not conclusions. A social rule can be useful or useless, beneficial or harmful, well- or ill-defended ….
(“If deleting posts that propose violence would benefit Less Wrong, I want to believe that deleting posts that propose violence would benefit Less Wrong. If deleting posts that propose violence would not benefit Less Wrong, I want not to believe that deleting posts that propose violence would …”)
Second: Consider the difference between “we’re not assholes” and “we don’t want to look like assholes”.
Or between “I will cooperate” and “I want you to think that I will cooperate.” A defector can rationally conclude the latter, but not the former (since it is false of defectors).