The law school example seems like weak evidence to me, since the topics mentioned are essential to practicing law, whereas most of the suggested “topics to avoid” are absolutely irrelevant to EA. Women who want to practice law are presumably willing to engage these topics as a necessary step towards achieving their goal. However, I don’t see why women who want to effectively do good would be willing to (or expected to) engage with irrelevant arguments they find uncomfortable or toxic.
If the topics to avoid are irrelevant to EA, it seems preferable to argue that these topics shouldn’t be discussed because they are irrelevant than to argue that they shouldn’t be discussed because they are offensive. In general, justifications for limiting discourse that appeal to epistemic considerations (such as bans on off-topic discussions) appear to generate less division and polarization than justifications that appeal to moral considerations.
I don’t mind when people talk about off-topic subjects in casual EA spaces (machine doggo) as long as it’s not harmful. I think it’s a good thing for people to have social spaces and to bond over things that aren’t intense philosophical discussions!
I also don’t mind if people talk about painful and difficult subjects as long they’ve tried to minimize the harm and the conversation is genuinely useful.
I do mind if people casually bring up hurtful topics which provide no discernable gain to the community.
The law school example seems like weak evidence to me, since the topics mentioned are essential to practicing law, whereas most of the suggested “topics to avoid” are absolutely irrelevant to EA. Women who want to practice law are presumably willing to engage these topics as a necessary step towards achieving their goal. However, I don’t see why women who want to effectively do good would be willing to (or expected to) engage with irrelevant arguments they find uncomfortable or toxic.
If the topics to avoid are irrelevant to EA, it seems preferable to argue that these topics shouldn’t be discussed because they are irrelevant than to argue that they shouldn’t be discussed because they are offensive. In general, justifications for limiting discourse that appeal to epistemic considerations (such as bans on off-topic discussions) appear to generate less division and polarization than justifications that appeal to moral considerations.
I don’t mind when people talk about off-topic subjects in casual EA spaces (machine doggo) as long as it’s not harmful. I think it’s a good thing for people to have social spaces and to bond over things that aren’t intense philosophical discussions!
I also don’t mind if people talk about painful and difficult subjects as long they’ve tried to minimize the harm and the conversation is genuinely useful.
I do mind if people casually bring up hurtful topics which provide no discernable gain to the community.