In such cases where these physiological responses are not truth-tracking, then surely the correct remedy is to rectify that mismatch, not to force people to whose words the responses are responding to speak and write differently…?
In other words, if I say something and you believe that my words somehow put you in some sort of danger (or, threaten your interests), or that my words signal that my actions will have such effects, then that’s perhaps a conflict between us which it may be productive for us to address.
On the other hand, if you have some sort of physiological response or feeling (aside: the concept of an alief seems like a good match for what you’re referring to, no?) about my words, but you do not believe that feeling tracks the truth about whether there’s any threat to you or your interests[1]… then what is there to discuss? And what do I have to do with this? This is a bug, in your cognition, for you to fix. What possible justification could you have for involving me in this? (And certainly, to suggest that I am somehow to blame, and that the burden is on me to avoid triggering such bugs—well, that would be quite beyond the pale!)
The second clause is necessary, because if you have a “physiological response” but you believe it to be truth-tracking—i.e., you also have a belief of threat and not just an alief—then we can (and should) simply discuss the belief, and have no need even to mention the “feeling”.
I think a truth-tracking community should do whatever is cheapest / most effective here. (which I think includes both people learning to deal with their physiological responses on their own, and also learning not to communicate in a way that predictably causes certain physiological responses)
Suppose I’ve neverheard of this—troop-tricking comity?—or whatever it is you said.
Sell me on it. If I learn not to communicate in a way that predictably causes certain physiological responses, like your co-mutiny is asking me to do, what concrete, specific membership benefits does the co-mutiny give me in return?
It’s got to be something really good, right? Because if you couldn’t point to any benefits, then there would be no reason for anyone to care about joining your roof-tacking impunity, or even bother remembering its name.
In such cases where these physiological responses are not truth-tracking, then surely the correct remedy is to rectify that mismatch, not to force people to whose words the responses are responding to speak and write differently…?
In other words, if I say something and you believe that my words somehow put you in some sort of danger (or, threaten your interests), or that my words signal that my actions will have such effects, then that’s perhaps a conflict between us which it may be productive for us to address.
On the other hand, if you have some sort of physiological response or feeling (aside: the concept of an alief seems like a good match for what you’re referring to, no?) about my words, but you do not believe that feeling tracks the truth about whether there’s any threat to you or your interests[1]… then what is there to discuss? And what do I have to do with this? This is a bug, in your cognition, for you to fix. What possible justification could you have for involving me in this? (And certainly, to suggest that I am somehow to blame, and that the burden is on me to avoid triggering such bugs—well, that would be quite beyond the pale!)
The second clause is necessary, because if you have a “physiological response” but you believe it to be truth-tracking—i.e., you also have a belief of threat and not just an alief—then we can (and should) simply discuss the belief, and have no need even to mention the “feeling”.
I think a truth-tracking community should do whatever is cheapest / most effective here. (which I think includes both people learning to deal with their physiological responses on their own, and also learning not to communicate in a way that predictably causes certain physiological responses)
What’s in it for me?
Suppose I’ve never heard of this—troop-tricking comity?—or whatever it is you said.
Sell me on it. If I learn not to communicate in a way that predictably causes certain physiological responses, like your co-mutiny is asking me to do, what concrete, specific membership benefits does the co-mutiny give me in return?
It’s got to be something really good, right? Because if you couldn’t point to any benefits, then there would be no reason for anyone to care about joining your roof-tacking impunity, or even bother remembering its name.
This sort of “naive utilitarianism” is a terrible idea for reasons which we are (or should be!) very well familiar with.