Shouldness in “Rationalists should win” is a much more detailed notion than correspondence to winning situations. It refers to a property of achieving goals, as seen under uncertainty, in our case implemented by cognitive algorithms that search the solution-space for the right plans. Rationalists should-win, have a good measure of win-should-ness.
Looking over it all again, I should add that “rationality is about winning” is also an immensely simpler sentiment, that still seems to retain the gist of the message for which the “rationalists should win” motto was devised.
What “Rationalists should WIN” needs is a stake through its heart; it is misinterpreted so much more often than it is correctly used that we may need to do without it altogether.
One problem is that “Rationalists should win” has two obvious interpretations for me:
Rationalists should win, therefore if rationalists aren’t winning, there’s something wrong with the world.
Rationalists should win, therefore if you aren’t winning, you’re not a rationalist.
Compare with:
People should donate money to Africa, therefore if people aren’t donating to Africa, there’s something wrong with the world.
People should donate money to Africa, therefore if you don’t donate to Africa, you’re not a person.
and
Protons should have an electric charge of 1, therefore if protons don’t have an electric charge of 1, there’s something wrong with the world.
Protons should have an electric charge of 1, therefore if you don’t have an electric charge of 1, you are not a proton.
Shouldness in “Rationalists should win” is a much more detailed notion than correspondence to winning situations. It refers to a property of achieving goals, as seen under uncertainty, in our case implemented by cognitive algorithms that search the solution-space for the right plans. Rationalists should-win, have a good measure of win-should-ness.
Looking over it all again, I should add that “rationality is about winning” is also an immensely simpler sentiment, that still seems to retain the gist of the message for which the “rationalists should win” motto was devised.
What “Rationalists should WIN” needs is a stake through its heart; it is misinterpreted so much more often than it is correctly used that we may need to do without it altogether.