What would count as evidence for or against a normative belief?
In isolation, almost certainly nothing, but you can play normative beliefs against one another. If you can demonstrate that a person’s normative belief is inconsistent with another of their normative beliefs, that demonstrates that one of them must be ‘false’. You can’t check them against reality directly, but they must still be consistent.
Evidence that would substantially inform a simulation of the enforcement of those beliefs. For example, history provides pretty clear evidence of the ultimate result of fascist states/dictatorships, partisan behaviour, and homogeneous group membership The qualities found in this projected result is highly likely to conflict with other preferences and beliefs.
At that point, the person may still say ‘Shut up, I believe what I want to believe.’ But that would only mean they are rejecting the evidence, not that the evidence doesn’t apply.
Eliezer writes, “In general, beliefs require evidence.”
To which Peter replies, “In general? Which beliefs don’t?”
Normative beliefs (beliefs about what should be) don’t, IMHO. What would count as evidence for or against a normative belief?
In isolation, almost certainly nothing, but you can play normative beliefs against one another. If you can demonstrate that a person’s normative belief is inconsistent with another of their normative beliefs, that demonstrates that one of them must be ‘false’. You can’t check them against reality directly, but they must still be consistent.
Evidence that would substantially inform a simulation of the enforcement of those beliefs. For example, history provides pretty clear evidence of the ultimate result of fascist states/dictatorships, partisan behaviour, and homogeneous group membership The qualities found in this projected result is highly likely to conflict with other preferences and beliefs.
At that point, the person may still say ‘Shut up, I believe what I want to believe.’ But that would only mean they are rejecting the evidence, not that the evidence doesn’t apply.