I think there are people who feel a strong impulse to cause pain. Subjectively, it may seem to them that they simply didn’t think of a non-pain-causing method of achieving their other ends. For all I know, at least some of them feel causing pain as a relief of anxiety rather than pleasure.
Also, it’s possible to frame just about anything as punishing defection. I’ve been seeing some indications that a lot of bad behavior is punishing people for claiming more status than they are felt to deserve.
Or, for something milder but closer to showing a terminal value, try this.
I’m not sure about this terminal value thing—if someone is causing pain because they feel pleasure from it, isn’t pleasure the terminal value?
I don’t think that’s a good definition of evil. Feeling pleasure for punishing a person who defects from a prisoner dilemma isn’t inherently evil.
When look at how clinical psychopaths are “evil” it’s more complicated then simple taking pleasure in someone’s unwanted pain.
LOL. I just want to keep this quote as an example of LW ethics… X-D
Do you disagree with the substance, or only want to remark on the way the statement is made?
I’m not sure there’s much substance involved, but I certainly think of humans as Turing complete.
I think you mixed up two different threads.
Ah, sorry, yes I did.
My amusement at this quote isn’t quite at the agree/disagree level, it has more to do with the mindset which produced it.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/katja-rowell-md/when-feeding-therapy-becomes-aversion-therapy_b_2951294.html
I think there are people who feel a strong impulse to cause pain. Subjectively, it may seem to them that they simply didn’t think of a non-pain-causing method of achieving their other ends. For all I know, at least some of them feel causing pain as a relief of anxiety rather than pleasure.
Also, it’s possible to frame just about anything as punishing defection. I’ve been seeing some indications that a lot of bad behavior is punishing people for claiming more status than they are felt to deserve.
Or, for something milder but closer to showing a terminal value, try this.
I’m not sure about this terminal value thing—if someone is causing pain because they feel pleasure from it, isn’t pleasure the terminal value?
The question is always whether a given interpretation is useful.
The economist position that defecting in prisoner dilemmas isn’t evil but punishing defectors is evil seems wrongheaded to me.