I fail to understand you. I recall a phrase you often use “What can be disproved by science should be,” or something along those lines. But, aren’t you just fooling yourself? Unlike the Harry Potter of your stories, the odds of you finding immortality in your lifetime is slim to none (and as you pointed out in the problem of fun, even that would ring false eventually). So tell me, why aren’t you in abject despair over your fate? There’s nothing you can do, and nothing you do makes a difference. On that premise, wouldn’t you reason that it’s pointless to even try? Furthermore, you are pushing this belief onto other people. Now, I know, I know, “What can be disproved by science should be,” is probably your response. But even if you’re not crying yourself to sleep, isn’t it likely that someone else is? And if nothing makes a difference in the end, then why are you taking the hope away from these people’s lives?
Say I’m in a situation that sucks. Say further I have an N1% chance of improving it by some marginal amount A1 by changing my environment, if I try. It will still suck, but it will suck less. And I have a (1-N1)% chance of failing to improve it, even if I try. Say further I similarly have an N2% chance of improving it by A2 by altering my own thinking (for example, deluding myself).
If you believed (N2A2) < (N1A1), would you encourage me to (e.g.) delude myself, or to change my environment? Or would this depend on something else? (What?)
I fail to understand you. I recall a phrase you often use “What can be disproved by science should be,” or something along those lines. But, aren’t you just fooling yourself? Unlike the Harry Potter of your stories, the odds of you finding immortality in your lifetime is slim to none (and as you pointed out in the problem of fun, even that would ring false eventually). So tell me, why aren’t you in abject despair over your fate? There’s nothing you can do, and nothing you do makes a difference. On that premise, wouldn’t you reason that it’s pointless to even try? Furthermore, you are pushing this belief onto other people. Now, I know, I know, “What can be disproved by science should be,” is probably your response. But even if you’re not crying yourself to sleep, isn’t it likely that someone else is? And if nothing makes a difference in the end, then why are you taking the hope away from these people’s lives?
Say I’m in a situation that sucks.
Say further I have an N1% chance of improving it by some marginal amount A1 by changing my environment, if I try. It will still suck, but it will suck less. And I have a (1-N1)% chance of failing to improve it, even if I try.
Say further I similarly have an N2% chance of improving it by A2 by altering my own thinking (for example, deluding myself).
If you believed (N2A2) < (N1A1), would you encourage me to (e.g.) delude myself, or to change my environment? Or would this depend on something else? (What?)