Re: META: Dishonest debate (was "cluster bombs")

From: Eliezer S. Yudkowsky (sentience@pobox.com)
Date: Tue Jun 17 2003 - 16:57:40 MDT

  • Next message: Lee Corbin: "RE: META: Time to enforce the List Rules! (personal revelation)"

    Lee Corbin wrote:
    >
    > Quite right. That is what is going on. But in addition
    > there is also
    >
    > * joining the good fight against bad memes
    > * venting one's feelings
    > * standing up for the underdog
    >
    > and more, I suspect. The first on my list of three here is
    > what inspires crusaders to fight for the oppressed, and gives
    > them energy that the Bayesians lack. I have respect for the
    > crusaders (occasionally I am one), both the ones for and against
    > the ideas I support. They have played and will play a crucial
    > role in history and in society.

    *I'm* not a crusader? Think about this one carefully.

    Also, do you think that patriotic cheerleading actually helps anyone, or
    for that matter, accomplishes anything significant at all? I do not count
    cheerleading as "fighting for the oppressed". When I think about Friendly
    AI, I am fighting for the oppressed. Everything else is as much a hobby
    as watching anime.

    It would appear some people think they can make their basketball team win
    by rooting at the television set. Enthusiasm is not effectiveness.
    Harvey Newstrom has described the only actual effect of all their
    shouting: sharply negative on the real-world events that matter.

    -- 
    Eliezer S. Yudkowsky                          http://singinst.org/
    Research Fellow, Singularity Institute for Artificial Intelligence
    


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