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Posts by Lanny
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2015-08-17 at 5:31 PM UTC in is everyone evil
Oh no, I meant that your system seems to value everyone's happiness equally, ideally. So, for example, an action that gave Hitler more utility compared to a monk that had devoted their life to charity should be favored.
Sure, if Hitler were rendered causally inert then there's no a priori further reason to spite him (although I don't deny the legitimacy of punishment as a deterrent, so it issue isn't black on white). Like if you were going to extend the life of the monk vs. hitler and he were still heading the nazi party then of course any utilitarian would choose the monk, the point is the total value of an action is what needs to be considered.
There's nothing inconsistent in that, despite your meaningless slurs.By the way, Lanny, do you believe that people should be legally compelled, through force, to care for their parents, who likely cared for them for decades among your peers, and invested enormous time, effort, and resources into them? Then why should they be legally obligated to care for perfect strangers?
Case 1: You force them to labor directly for their benefit.
Case 2: You force them to transfer wealth to you, which was produced through labor, to care for perfect strangers
I don't think a person is obligated to care for their own parents per se (seeing as some people may not be able to), but I do think that people who are too old to work or don't need to work anymore are owed a certain quality of life by the society as a whole, in so far as that society is able to care for them. While your mind may boggle at notion of helping perfect strangers I think most people are fairly well acquainted with, at least, the idea of charity -
2015-08-17 at 5:21 PM UTC in Cooking Ethiopian for the First Time
I've had ethiopian once, it was alright… I have a friend from DC and she says they have the best Ethiopian restaurants
The one time I was in DC I had ethiopian and it was pretty boss, thought it was just a coincidence there was a restraunt near where I was staying but I guess not.never had it but was always curious about that one ethiopian restaurant on telegraph
Give it a go mang. It's usually a couple of different really thick stews/mashes with a bunch of spices served on a "sourdough crepe" type of thing. I don't know if that makes it sound appealing or not but it's really good. -
2015-08-17 at 5:54 AM UTC in is everyone evil
How do you respond to this, Lan Lan? Don't you realize how problematic trying to force equalist utilitarian principles onto the messy reality of unequal human beings is?
I don't know what you think "equalist utilitarian" means but if you're suggesting I think everyone needs to be equally happy, you're wrong. Maximization is the goal, distribution is irrelevant, it just happens that in general wealth results in diminishing returns on well being thus wealth redistribution is in our collective best interest.And why should valuing human utility equally be accepted as the standard position over valuing it unequally?
The idea of human utility being unequal conflicts with the very meaning of the term. Utility is the measure of final good in a utilitarian system, an action can produce more or less of it's incoherent to talk about better and worse utility of the same quantity. Some people may get more utility out of some resources than others (medicine that's life saving for one person might do nothing for a healthy person) and thus people may have unequal claims on resources but if you want to argue that any group of people (like those who have capital) have a special claim to something then you'd have to demonstrate how they receive more utility from it than others. -
2015-08-16 at 8:54 PM UTC in is everyone evilI honestly can't tell if this is bait or not. Good job I guess
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2015-08-16 at 8:35 PM UTC in is everyone evil
you see, when I see people throwing around lists of other people's intellectual works, my eyes glaze over and I just skim right over the list. I find it distasteful, tedious, and counterproductive to argue by throwing links and references around.
Lol, so it's distasteful to reference prior art but literally declaring yourself "extremely well read" is just the classiest thing ever?
Besides, did you even read my post? Soph, supposedly arguing the same position as you, threw out Molyneux to start with, I was just pointing out expecting me to have read a particular work as a prerequisite to having a position on a subject would be hypocritical if he hadn't read some of the important works pertaining to the position I'm defending..I am of the opinion that when you're right, you're right, and if you're right, then you don't need to mine other peoples thoughts and other people's material for 'ammo'.
I don't even know what to say to that, it's so dumb. How do you learn about your inherent right-ness exactly? Does a bell toll to let you know that your rube intuition is an unquestionable truth of the universe and so there's no point supporting it with arguments or thinking about opposing positions? -
2015-08-16 at 8:19 PM UTC in is everyone evil
You still did not answer my question.
The answer is no, the scenario you described would not be a good thing. It has nothing to do with socialism though. -
2015-08-16 at 8:16 PM UTC in is everyone evil
Look at lanny trying to alinsky me
face it, you got nothing but lists of other people's ideas to back you up.
reality, on the other hand…..
You're just trolling now -
2015-08-16 at 7:41 PM UTC in is everyone evil
you can throw works of literature, and intellectual concepts at me all day long, but there will never be a time and place, ever on this earth, that 'socialism' and its ilk will fit in without forcing people to abide by it
You'll forgive me if I take lightly the forecasts of someone who's apparently afraid of reading a book every now and then. Did you know Pol Pot wasn't a big fan of "literature and intellectual concepts" either?see, that's the difference between 'right' and 'left'…..if the right took over tomorrow, we would still let you lefties think and believe and live how you wanted. But if the leftists took over, they (you) would most likely have us righties killed.
Ahahahahaha -
2015-08-16 at 7:39 PM UTC in is everyone evil
fuck libertarianism
I am a far right wing extremist
...also, isn't everything on earth 'natural'?
So why is calling socialism "all made up" any kind of condemnation then? -
2015-08-16 at 7:38 PM UTC in is everyone evil
You can thank him and his fellow lefties for the inevitable economic collapse of America in the future.
Lol, did you know I've never voted in an american election? The american democratic party is about as socialist as as a piece of toast, regardless of what the right tell you. Political commentators in this country wouldn't know what socialism was if it hit them in the face. -
2015-08-16 at 7:34 PM UTC in is everyone evil
So if you and I took a course at a university together and I fucked the entire semester and did squat. While you busted your ass and produced A+/4.0 gpa effort. Would you be ok with both of us getting a C/2.0?
Dumb example, in a lot of ways. Firstly grades in an academic class are totally different than utility. Earning a mediocre grade in a class you didn't learn anything in doesn't serve anyone's interests. Also you fundamentally misunderstand utilitarianism if you think it's the same thing as "everyone gets exactly the same thing". -
2015-08-16 at 7:29 PM UTC in is everyone evil
'made up' as in humans made it. Socialism didn't just appear one day, did it?
Yeah, and crazy shit like NAP and property-law-on-steroids which are hallmarks of libertarianism aren't written into the fabric of the universe either. "Conceived of by a human" seems like the least damning criticism you could possible make of an idea.I am not trying to have an ideology, I am just trying to underscore how nature and the world work.
Lets say that tomorrow, a meteor hit the earth and 90% of everyone died and we were basically living in 'Mad Max' times.
The first thing people would do, is arm themselves. Then they would set up a store. They sure wouldn't set up anything remotely resembling socialism. Capitalism is just an expression of the natural human condition.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appeal_to_nature -
2015-08-16 at 7:25 PM UTC in is everyone evil
As you may recall i'm an anarchist and i support the NAP, the government is nothing but a monopoly on violence so you're correct, public education and roads and whatever policy you have is an implicit threat of imprisionment and death. Now, that is not to say i do not support education, or don't give a shit about the poor, it is to say that there are multiple ways of solving these problems and i'd be willing to wager we don't need any violence to do so.
Fine, but my point stands that it's a dumb criticism to say "I'd respect wealth redistributionists more if they didn't threaten me with death" (lol) since by your notion of "death threat" that's the same thing as saying "I'd respect wealth redistributionists more if they didn't support wealth redistribution and agreed with me". Fundamentally the only thing you've told us is "I don't support wealth redistribution" which personally I kinda already figured.If you support the state and it's ok for the state to take away people's property at gunpoint why isn't it ok for you? Is the state in a magical sphere of moral absolution no matter what they do? Seems legit.
Not at all, in fact if you read what I posted I said I'd find "robinhood" style crime acceptable in the absence of alternatives. But the bigger point is that the state is able to tax in a controlled manner that doesn't impoverish people and use that money in a more optimal way than it would have been spent by the taxed individuals. I'm not saying this is an intrinsic property of all states, obviously it's possible to waste tax revenue as demonstrated by the right's absurd military spending in the US. But it's something a state or state-like entity is uniquely set up to do, it would be almost impossible for individuals to reasonably assess their own needs against the needs of others and come to a fair redistribution strategy.At least the libertarian school of thought is consistent in it's 'quasi-moral framework'. Can't say the same for socialism because it is implied the state is above moral scrutiny to serve 'the greater good' whatever that's supposed to mean.
See, this is where the accusations of the left not understanding the opposition is so laughable. There is absolutely nothing in socialism, utilitarianism, or any other idea discussed here that proposes the state is above moral scrutiny, in fact the state is the primary object of moral scrutiny under my view because it holds the most power it also has the most grave moral responsibility. -
2015-08-16 at 7:08 PM UTC in is everyone evil
There have been a shitload of thinkers that have made a compelling case for libertarian policies.
Remember "the case of libertarian policies" here has to mean "the case for why libertarian policies result in the maximum good for the most people" (since that was the acceptance criteria we're talking about). So let's see it, present me a compelling argument for that.
In my experience such arguments are either of the form "Look at [soviet russia/china/north korea/red boogeyman of the decade] and how low quality of life is there" or "look at this case where I don't think maximizing utility is the moral thing to do" (ala your sacrifice-my-first-child case) both of which completely miss the point.It's an ethical principle, that's the same as saying: If i could prove that sacrificing your first born child increases the summer harvest by 100% would you do it? No of course i wouldn't because it's morally reprehensible.
So your answer is no then? Well, like I said, it just proves my point, if you care about NAP than human well being than you care less about humanity than act utilitarians do.If utility comes before morality in your worldview you're not a good person.
In the utilitarian model maximizing utility is fundamentally the same thing as morality. I could just as easily say "If upholding NAP comes before morality in your world view you're not a good person" but both would miss the point, the question is "what is moral" so any time you say "you're not a good person if you put something before [thing I consider necessary for morality]" then you're just begging the question.Nigger please, did you even read Molyneux? Besides that, there have been more than one philosopher to advocate the NAP.
Nigger please what? I haven't read any of his long-form work cover to cover, I read a few chapters out of universally preferable behavior before I couldn't take any more. Have you read anything by Bentham, Mill, or Parfit? -
2015-08-15 at 6:13 PM UTC in Public Schools are filthy breeding grounds of germs and sickness
Private schools? Dang, Lan Lan is a rich kid.
Nah, not at all, I just grew up in places where public schools either didn't exist or largely failed to produce literate students by high school. The options were basically private school or no education at all. -
2015-08-15 at 6:21 AM UTC in negraidsYou should be too busy with syncans and related cheap highs to be racist blood. Stick with your strong suit homie.
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2015-08-15 at 6:18 AM UTC in OVERDOSE????I took just about 200mg of 4-FA with less tolerance than I was expecting and almost had a aneurism, crippling blood pressure headache for like two hours that only got slightly better when I was standing. Nigga, amps may not be the worst drug out there but you sure as shit can OD if you give it your bestest.
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2015-08-15 at 6:14 AM UTC in ATTN: Crazy Mike(Or anyone that wants to make a simple game)
I would download it as it looks pretty cool/fun but I honestly dont trust any piece of software you guys link to. Pass me the source code and if it looks good ill compile it myself but other than that I am sure this is either an NSA backdoor or your own back door into my hard drive.
Lol, do you have any idea what a "backdoor" looks like or how to find one ithe source of a large project? -
2015-08-15 at 6:08 AM UTC in ur so cool with ur little trianglesWhoooooooooooo are you? Whoopoookoooiiiiiiuoooo are you. Man, the who are a shitty band.
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2015-08-15 at 4:20 AM UTC in The retarded thread: Fuck, §m£ÂgØL made one first edition
or, you could be sitting in a fancy italian villa and enjoy the illusion of working in a shithole cubicle
Lol, I wouldn't rule it out. I mean it's trivial to think of examples of people longing for what is objectively a lower quality of life. We've romanticised the agrarian lifestyle to the point that the idea of owning a small ranch or farm and living off that actually seems desirable despite the fact it has effectively 0 chance of making people happier and has historically always been a relatively hellish existence when compared to the luxury of the life of a modern professional.https://lockedinprism.bandcamp.com/a...n-not-delusion
new album, put alot of effort into it, can u guys check it out, free of course, full instrumentation n shit
Nice mang, you definitely are improving. I liked some of your earlier stuff in a sorta ironic way but this album actually has some nice riffs/fuzz in it that I'd be like "yeah, that's cool" if I just stumbled on it. What's your split in terms of time spent on recording vs. mixing? What do you use to stitch the tracks together?That isn't realistic yet anyway.
It has to do with hardware requirements. Without foveated rendering they're just unrealistic to achieve mass appeal, which would cause VR to flounder for a while, or at least achieve much slower growth than it could have. Regardless, resolution is only part of the picture, there are multiple aspects that can increase visual quality and immersion without it.
Why do you say that? I mean good hardware support would help make it feasible on lower end GPUs (I mean still kinda high end GPUs imaginably but it expands the market regardless) but if it's the visual effect you're after you can shim it in at the fragment shader if you really want.There's a problem with reading fine text in VR right now, so it would really be a terrible idea, for now.
I mean the obvious issue for oculus is the lack of resolution. Do you mean a more general issue with any VR setup? Because that would be interesting, and a link appreciated. But I tend to think that with a retina-level resolution at that viewing distance you could do screen-on-screen simulation without too much difficulty although I obviously haven't tried it. Like I'm sure there are a dozen clever hacks you could pull to improve the experience/performance, but even a naive approach should be sufficient at sufficient resolution.Life has no inherent meaning, I am unable to find satisfactory subjective value. Of course that doesn't make me feel better.
Have you ever seriously engaged with the works of any existentialist philosopher? If you don't mind something a little dry I'd suggest Sartre's Existentialism is a Humanism or Camus' The Stranger or The Myth of Sisyphus (the former is a novel, the latter an essay. The Stranger is probably more fun to read but more cryptic/open to interpretation than Sisyphus). You should also make an effort to avoid complecting politics in the equation (Sartre was largely a communist, Camus rejected communism and that came through in The Stranger and Heidegger (another famous existentialist) joined the nazi party during WWII so the mindset kind runs the gamut of political positions. I'm not saying it's going to change your life or whatever but I think the works from that movement are interesting, firstly, and secondly the classical existentialists do a really excellent job of, at least, cataloging and recognizing the anguish of an honest confrontation with modern society and it's issues but also giving us a way of thinking about our situation in honestly and without self delusion and still finding some solace or even happiness in it.