I’m not sure I’m a rationalist though, as I believe there are some lies that should be maintained rather than destroyed.
Can you tell me more about this? this statement piqued my curiosity, but I don’t know enough about what you meant to ask anything specific, so I’m left with vauge questions like “Which lies?” and “Under which circumstances?”
It’s a qualification on me, I’ve decided to join the discussion but I’m not sure about joining the group. In other words, statements from me shouldn’t be viewed as rationalist statements since I’m (probably) not one. let me expand;
Some lies are worth preserving, I think a rationalist would be in favor of keeping works of fiction for example. We all know that Hamlet isn’t real. These sorts of lies aren’t what I was talking about, since they are not destroyed by the truth. Pointing out that Hamlet is fiction doesn’t diminish its value or effectiveness.
I was mainly thinking of “polite” lies that happen in everyday situations;
Your deformity doesn’t bother me.
Whatever you want, it’s all the same to me.
I’m sure my intentions toward you daughter are every bit as honorable as yours were toward her mother.
Lies that you tell when it’s likely that the other person knows you are lying, yet the sentiment behind them is such that we accept them without comment. Sure, you’re freaked out by the one armed man, but you intend to do your best to act as if he were a normal person. Both parties might even be aware that these lies are in fact, lies, but they both maintain the fiction.
The truth in these situations would be very revealing, in a world were everyone could instantly know the truth of all statements, these would be destroyed, instantly. We’d know the truth, yet I feel we would not be better off for it.
Then there are lies like “You’re a good boy.”
More of a wish than a truth. Yet by lying in this way, a parent is hoping to cause it to become true.
A kind of self fulfilling prophecy (they hope).
Those are also lies I think are worth preserving.
Then there are the lies like “Santa Clause is a real person who will bring you presents if you’re good.” I think destroying this kind of lie would be a good thing, but I’m not certain.
So much interesting stuff.
I’ve been reading through the sequences, and one peeked my desire to post, so I created an account. There are actually many things being discussed here that interest me. I’m not sure I’m a rationalist though, as I believe there are some lies that should be maintained rather than destroyed.
I’m interested in personal identity, not “Quantum Mechanics and Personal Identity”, but where does “me” end.
The sound bite is “Am I my hat?” or to be more verbose, is my hat an extension of myself, and thus a part of me. Some would say “of course not”. If you’re thinking that, then imagine I started beating you with my hat.
Would you ask my hat to stop, or would you ask me?
Where do we stop being “us” and start being “them.” Is our hair part of us? What about when it’s cut? What if we weave it into a hat, and does it matter if we cut it first? Let me be clear, I don’t really care how a particular definition of “me” would resolve hair clippings, I’m interested in what definitions people actually use.