that reads as deliberate bait to me. Presenting 2 options as if they’re the only options seems to be preying on a dualistic/binary bias common in most people, and that I think stems from our primate roots.
If you like, you can see it as a dominance battle between two large coalitions of primates, with Amnessty International, other anti-torture groups, the authors of the 8th amendment, and those who have some measure of respect for basic human rights on one side, with the other side consisting of various shadowy govenment organziations (parts of the CIA and military), fans of 24, Alan Dershowitz, and the hopelessly authoritarian. Which side are you on? Which band of primates do you think deserves to win this battle, which side do you want to associate yourself with?
I think what I am most opposed to is the epistemologically naive idea that you can talk about matters like this in an objective, apolitical way. So—I have a bias against torture, I have no desire to overcome it. Orwell is not around to ask, but I think he’d feel the same way.
that reads as deliberate bait to me. Presenting 2 options as if they’re the only options seems to be preying on a dualistic/binary bias common in most people, and that I think stems from our primate roots.
Everything we do stems from our primate roots. I don’t know you well enough to deliberately bait you, but using that expression (which comes from ) is meant to signify that at some point, when dealing with politics, you have to stop spouting hot air, choose which side of an issue you are on, and fight for it. That attitude seems somewhat antithetical to the prevaiing ethos of this blog, but I’m a contrarian.
If you like, you can see it as a dominance battle between two large coalitions of primates, with Amnessty International, other anti-torture groups, the authors of the 8th amendment, and those who have some measure of respect for basic human rights on one side, with the other side consisting of various shadowy govenment organziations (parts of the CIA and military), fans of 24, Alan Dershowitz, and the hopelessly authoritarian. Which side are you on? Which band of primates do you think deserves to win this battle, which side do you want to associate yourself with?
I think what I am most opposed to is the epistemologically naive idea that you can talk about matters like this in an objective, apolitical way. So—I have a bias against torture, I have no desire to overcome it. Orwell is not around to ask, but I think he’d feel the same way.