My post was mostly in reaction to this line [quote]by diving into the gutter with the scum.[/quote]
which, of course, is not the author’s total feeling on the subject, but was something to hang a post upon.
I’m not sure my definition of rationality would ever lead me to condone violence, but I’m quite certain that the “right” answer (by my definition of right, of course) does indeed encompass violence in some circumstances.
Of course it is doing good matters. But I will admit to being a bit alarmed by my personal observations of rationalism being so little represented among the people who I see actually going out and making a real difference. There is a rationalist community who are committed to doing good (Scott Alexander of Star Slate Codex is a fine example), but I don’t see them personally.
And of course, I’m among those with rationalists tendencies leaning towards complacency. I suspect that my support of higher taxes is that I don’t consider myself a particularly generous person to people I don’t know (only about 1% of our household income goes to charities and I volunteer next to no time), so I support systems that help me involuntarily donate.
Of course, that’s me being generous with every one else’s money as well, but hey, I’m only one vote :-).
Many thanks. Sadly, I derived a lot of my insights into the limits of rationalism by having a child who was almost pathologically rational. The irrationality of the world terrified him as a child, and the inability to shut off the part of his mind that was deconstructing everything on a rational basis left him fighting depression as an adolescent.
It left me with an understanding that rationality is a powerful tool, but when the tool takes over, it’s not usually a good outcome for the tool user. (And as an adult, he’s fine, if perhaps a little bit removed from his peers, who have long since learned not to ask him for insights into themselves unless they are truly, desperately unhappy - a trait he inherited from his mother.)
As an aside, best wishes on your impending (if not already) PhD. I hope you’ll let everyone here know when you’ve finished your defense and are Doctor Mindysan!
