I don’t know if his characterization is right or not, I’m not a Rationalist. But of course subjects being taboo because of the harm discussing them does is fine. Why wouldn’t it be?
Why would it not be fine for topics to be off limit for discussion?
The first principle of EA discusses the need for a “‘scout mindset’ - seeking the truth, rather than to defend our current ideas.”
You may be aware that at one point the idea the earth revolves around the Sun was taboo.
What is taboo varies widely over time and by culture. Even the idea that having an open honest discussion about anything could ever be construed as “causing harm” (beside from being a terrible one imo) is a very new concept and one that would have been universally dismissed maybe even 15 years ago.
At any rate, it sounds like you are fine with topics being absolutely off limits to discuss. This is a bit of a surprising admission to me considering the core principles of EA but you are, apparently, certainly not alone in this belief.
Traditionally, thought leaders in EA have been careful not to define any “core principles” besides the basic idea of “we want to find out using evidence and reason how to do as much good as possible, and to apply that knowledge in practice”. While it’s true that various perceptions and beliefs have creeped in over the years, none of them is sacred.
In any case, as far as I understand the “scout mindset” (which I admit isn’t much), it doesn’t rule out recognising areas which would be better left alone (for real, practical reasons—not because the church said so).
How can we “find out using evidence and reason how to do as much good as possible, and to apply that knowledge in practice” if some avenues to well-being are forbidden? The idea that no potential area is off limits is inherent in the mission. We must be open to doing whatever does the most good possible regardless of how it interacts with our pre-existing biases or taboos.
This would not have been a remotely controversial statement in a community like this 20 years ago.
The fact that this was downvoted several times without any counter argument is a pretty clear signal that we’ve reached the end of rational discussion here.
I didn’t understand (1).
I don’t know if his characterization is right or not, I’m not a Rationalist. But of course subjects being taboo because of the harm discussing them does is fine. Why wouldn’t it be?
Why would it not be fine for topics to be off limit for discussion?
The first principle of EA discusses the need for a “‘scout mindset’ - seeking the truth, rather than to defend our current ideas.”
You may be aware that at one point the idea the earth revolves around the Sun was taboo.
What is taboo varies widely over time and by culture. Even the idea that having an open honest discussion about anything could ever be construed as “causing harm” (beside from being a terrible one imo) is a very new concept and one that would have been universally dismissed maybe even 15 years ago.
At any rate, it sounds like you are fine with topics being absolutely off limits to discuss. This is a bit of a surprising admission to me considering the core principles of EA but you are, apparently, certainly not alone in this belief.
Traditionally, thought leaders in EA have been careful not to define any “core principles” besides the basic idea of “we want to find out using evidence and reason how to do as much good as possible, and to apply that knowledge in practice”. While it’s true that various perceptions and beliefs have creeped in over the years, none of them is sacred.
In any case, as far as I understand the “scout mindset” (which I admit isn’t much), it doesn’t rule out recognising areas which would be better left alone (for real, practical reasons—not because the church said so).
To me, “better left alone” and “sacred” are two sides of the same coin.
How can we “find out using evidence and reason how to do as much good as possible, and to apply that knowledge in practice” if some avenues to well-being are forbidden? The idea that no potential area is off limits is inherent in the mission. We must be open to doing whatever does the most good possible regardless of how it interacts with our pre-existing biases or taboos.
100%
This would not have been a remotely controversial statement in a community like this 20 years ago.
The fact that this was downvoted several times without any counter argument is a pretty clear signal that we’ve reached the end of rational discussion here.