Interestingly, it seems to me that this definition would produce meta-maxims more readily than normal ones—“find out what your local society’s norms are and stick to those” rather than “don’t eat babies”, for example.
Eliezer’s Babyeaters and Superhappies both seemed to follow that meta-rule. (It was less obvious for the latter, but the fact that they had complex societies with different people holding different set roles strongly implies it.)
Interestingly, it seems to me that this definition would produce meta-maxims more readily than normal ones—“find out what your local society’s norms are and stick to those” rather than “don’t eat babies”, for example.
Yes, it does produce meta-maxims in some sense. But meta-maxims can provide useful guidance. “Do unto others …” is a meta-maxim. So is “Don’t steal (anything from anybody)” or “Don’t lie (about anything to anyone)”
As to whether this definition leads to the meta-maxim “find out what your local society’s norms are and stick to those”, that is explicitly not a consequence of this definition. Instead, the meta-maxim would be “work out what your local society’s norms should be and set an example by doing that”.
Interestingly, it seems to me that this definition would produce meta-maxims more readily than normal ones—“find out what your local society’s norms are and stick to those” rather than “don’t eat babies”, for example.
Eliezer’s Babyeaters and Superhappies both seemed to follow that meta-rule. (It was less obvious for the latter, but the fact that they had complex societies with different people holding different set roles strongly implies it.)
Yes, it does produce meta-maxims in some sense. But meta-maxims can provide useful guidance. “Do unto others …” is a meta-maxim. So is “Don’t steal (anything from anybody)” or “Don’t lie (about anything to anyone)”
As to whether this definition leads to the meta-maxim “find out what your local society’s norms are and stick to those”, that is explicitly not a consequence of this definition. Instead, the meta-maxim would be “work out what your local society’s norms should be and set an example by doing that”.