Being a materialist and accepting Darwinian thought all the while trying to be as rational as possible will lead you to realize that many many rationalizations we accept for what are considered “correct” or “common” values are false. Some outrageously false. I think I’m not overstepping in saying that either a majority of or a large minority of LW posters would agree with this.
I can understand a change in values following a updated world view. But please remember is does not translate into should. Sure scrap some values, after introspection, that you consider proxy values, but ultimate values are arbitrary so be wary of changing your value system (but don’t be too wary of changing behaviour to what you deem best serves those values). Only you can decide what are proxy and what are primary values. However It is much better to accept “evil” facts and plan accordingly to achieve “good” aims than to fail at achieving “good” aims because your map doesn’t match the territory. And don’t forget things that might absent “evil” facts seem to bring good utility might in their light bring negative utility due to conflict with other values.
I suppose accepting “evil” facts as truth does come at a handicap in debating. Agitating for a policy because you genuinely believe that everyone would want it if they would understand it, is much easier than pushing argument you know is false for a policy that just serves your own values. But I don’t think LW is about being wrong when its good for you.
I hope people understand that criticism of poor rationalizations on LW (at least I hope this site is the exception :) ) are mostly not attacks on the values that are perhaps “served” by the argument but just part of the process of rationality training.
Being a materialist and accepting Darwinian thought all the while trying to be as rational as possible will lead you to realize that many many rationalizations we accept for what are considered “correct” or “common” values are false. Some outrageously false. I think I’m not overstepping in saying that either a majority of or a large minority of LW posters would agree with this.
I can understand a change in values following a updated world view. But please remember is does not translate into should. Sure scrap some values, after introspection, that you consider proxy values, but ultimate values are arbitrary so be wary of changing your value system (but don’t be too wary of changing behaviour to what you deem best serves those values). Only you can decide what are proxy and what are primary values. However It is much better to accept “evil” facts and plan accordingly to achieve “good” aims than to fail at achieving “good” aims because your map doesn’t match the territory. And don’t forget things that might absent “evil” facts seem to bring good utility might in their light bring negative utility due to conflict with other values.
I suppose accepting “evil” facts as truth does come at a handicap in debating. Agitating for a policy because you genuinely believe that everyone would want it if they would understand it, is much easier than pushing argument you know is false for a policy that just serves your own values. But I don’t think LW is about being wrong when its good for you.
I hope people understand that criticism of poor rationalizations on LW (at least I hope this site is the exception :) ) are mostly not attacks on the values that are perhaps “served” by the argument but just part of the process of rationality training.