Thank you very much for your reply. For your first point:
Yes, I already said that (“the achieving-goals part could come into conflict with the map-accuracy part (because deception is often useful for achieving goals)”).
I’d slightly refine this and say (which I think you do say in the original comment), that the contradiction between those two pillars of rationalism come in when you are forming a community. There is no contradiction in an individual seeking to achieve the best map that reflects the territory, and that individual choosing to use deception as a tool to best achieve your goals given your map of the territory. The contradiction comes when you are organizing a community and have to decide whether to orient it towards finding truth “achieving the best map that reflects the territory” or towards pushing a message/political position “achieving your goals given your map”.
For your second point:
I’m not interested in being a “moral person” (whatever that means); I’m interested in achieving the map that reflects the territory.
I am new to the ways of rationalism so forgive me if this is incorrect, but I think the best way to map what I mean to your worldview is to say that morality has to do with what you define your goals to be not necessarily with the process of “achieving the map that reflects the territory.” Though if “achieving the map that reflects the territory” is one of the goals that you are trying to achieve, then in my lingo I’d call that a moral position. Or translating completely to my language: “You think pursuing truth is good”.
Thank you very much for your reply. For your first point:
I’d slightly refine this and say (which I think you do say in the original comment), that the contradiction between those two pillars of rationalism come in when you are forming a community. There is no contradiction in an individual seeking to achieve the best map that reflects the territory, and that individual choosing to use deception as a tool to best achieve your goals given your map of the territory. The contradiction comes when you are organizing a community and have to decide whether to orient it towards finding truth “achieving the best map that reflects the territory” or towards pushing a message/political position “achieving your goals given your map”.
For your second point:
I am new to the ways of rationalism so forgive me if this is incorrect, but I think the best way to map what I mean to your worldview is to say that morality has to do with what you define your goals to be not necessarily with the process of “achieving the map that reflects the territory.” Though if “achieving the map that reflects the territory” is one of the goals that you are trying to achieve, then in my lingo I’d call that a moral position. Or translating completely to my language: “You think pursuing truth is good”.
Thanks again for engaging with me!