[Dragaera] agnosticism (no flame) (was, long ago: (no spoilers) The 17 [Great Weapons])

[Maximilian Wilson]

On 5/22/07, Howard Brazee <howard at brazee.net> wrote:
>
> Maximilian Wilson wrote:
> >> I agree that at a certain point faith becomes so well-supported that
> doubt
> >>
> > is irrelevant. That doesn't change the fact that it is, by the OP's
> > statement, irrational. (I would have said "non-rational.")
> >
> >
> Are all values that aren't supported by evidence irrational?
>
> Also, if a value or belief allows you to fit into society and get girls
> - having it works, so having that irrational value makes one rational!?!?
>

No, the deduction that "believing X gets girls" may be a rational deduction
(although the belief that THAT belief is rational may not be unless you've
proven it with meta-logic), but choosing to believe X in order to get girls
does not follow rationally from anything except perhaps the non-rational
decision to do what it takes to get girls. Really, rationality is all about
belief; actions are always based on non-rational factors (desires). To say
that it's "rational" to get girls doesn't even make sense except within the
context of a specific value-system. It's like saying something is "optimal"
without specifying your utility function.

-Max

-- 
Be pretty if you are, be witty if you can,
But be cheerful if it kills you.

Everything in Windows is very simple, but the simplest thing is difficult.
    -Clausewitz