Nick, this is great, we have an interesting agreement. :) We may want to discuss this by email so we don’t take over the thread, although I think it would be great if overcomingbias incorporate regular open threads and a sister message board.
I don’t care whether or not selfishness is more rationally justifiable than altruism or not. In fact, I’m not even sure what that means because the first principles behind that statement don’t seem clear to me. Unless your point is that all first principles are arbitrary.
I look at it from the perspective that I enjoy (apparently) existing as a subjective conscious entity, and I want to persist existing as a subjective conscious entity -forever, and in a real time sort of way. I think that defines me as an egoist (a classic egoist sentence in itself?). As a consequentialist, altruists only bother me to the extent that they may adversely impact my odds of persistence by engaging in their altruistic behavior, more rationally justifiable or not. To the extent that they positively impact -or even better, optimize- my odds of persistence, they’re a phenomenon that I want to encourage.
You live in a universe with me in it, Nick. And you seem to me to be a bright person. So, given that you seem to want us both to do what’s most rationally justifiable, and I want us to do what will maximize my personal odds of persistence, I’m hoping there’s some common ground we can meet, that will in the process MMPOOP (maximize my personal odds of persistence) -please pardon the unsavory acronym.
Nick, this is great, we have an interesting agreement. :) We may want to discuss this by email so we don’t take over the thread, although I think it would be great if overcomingbias incorporate regular open threads and a sister message board. I don’t care whether or not selfishness is more rationally justifiable than altruism or not. In fact, I’m not even sure what that means because the first principles behind that statement don’t seem clear to me. Unless your point is that all first principles are arbitrary. I look at it from the perspective that I enjoy (apparently) existing as a subjective conscious entity, and I want to persist existing as a subjective conscious entity -forever, and in a real time sort of way. I think that defines me as an egoist (a classic egoist sentence in itself?). As a consequentialist, altruists only bother me to the extent that they may adversely impact my odds of persistence by engaging in their altruistic behavior, more rationally justifiable or not. To the extent that they positively impact -or even better, optimize- my odds of persistence, they’re a phenomenon that I want to encourage. You live in a universe with me in it, Nick. And you seem to me to be a bright person. So, given that you seem to want us both to do what’s most rationally justifiable, and I want us to do what will maximize my personal odds of persistence, I’m hoping there’s some common ground we can meet, that will in the process MMPOOP (maximize my personal odds of persistence) -please pardon the unsavory acronym.