Is an abortion an “ok if regrettable practice?” You’ve just assumed the answer is always yes, under any circumstances.
Sorry, you have a point that my test won’t apply to every rationalist.
The contrast I meant was: if you look at the world population, and ask how many people believe in atheism, materialism, and that abortion is not morally wrong, you’ll find a significant minority. (Perhaps you yourself are not in that group.)
But if you then try to add “believes that infanticide is not morally wrong”, your subpopulation will drop to basically zero.
But, rationally, the gap between the first three beliefs, and the last one, is relatively small. Purely on the basis of rationality, you ought to expect a smaller dropoff than we in fact see. Hence, most people in the first group are avoiding the repugnant conclusion for non-rational reasons. (Or believing in the first three, for non-rational reasons.)
If you personally don’t agree with the first three premises, then perhaps this test isn’t accurate for you.
But, rationally, the gap between the first three beliefs, and the last one, is relatively small. Purely on the basis of rationality, you ought to expect a smaller dropoff than we in fact see. Hence, most people in the first group are avoiding the repugnant conclusion for non-rational reasons. (Or believing in the first three, for non-rational reasons.)
Sorry, you have a point that my test won’t apply to every rationalist.
The contrast I meant was: if you look at the world population, and ask how many people believe in atheism, materialism, and that abortion is not morally wrong, you’ll find a significant minority. (Perhaps you yourself are not in that group.)
But if you then try to add “believes that infanticide is not morally wrong”, your subpopulation will drop to basically zero.
But, rationally, the gap between the first three beliefs, and the last one, is relatively small. Purely on the basis of rationality, you ought to expect a smaller dropoff than we in fact see. Hence, most people in the first group are avoiding the repugnant conclusion for non-rational reasons. (Or believing in the first three, for non-rational reasons.)
If you personally don’t agree with the first three premises, then perhaps this test isn’t accurate for you.
Well, my comment from http://lesswrong.com/lw/1ww/undiscriminating_skepticism/1sek would probably be better here. I still dispute that argument, as I think this drop-off is justified, even for rationalists.
So your point is that anyone who feels there is a moral difference between infanticide and abortion is irrational?
Because most pro-lifers already say that, in my experience.