Outlandish Thought Experiments
Added 2024-07-14 20:41:30 +0000 UTC
Comments
Unrealistic hypotheticals are useful for me at least. I don’t view morality as objective but I do feel as if I discover my ethical values through reflection. Unrealistic hypotheticals are useful because it requires more reflection, since I’ve never encountered this situation I really need to consider every part rather than just working off of assumptions like I often do in everyday situations. I think they’re especially useful for extracting information from an interlocutor. When I ask a hypothetical, I’m never looking for an answer of wether that hypothetical seems plausible or not, that seems entirely irrelevant. What I seek is a specific piece of information on how you view the world. For example, as a vegan, I might ask a non vegan if they would be ok killing a trillion bunnies for the amount of pleasure equivalent to one sip of soda, I don’t give two shits wether you think the hypothetical is relevant or plausible or going to happen or not. I care about their answer to that question, because it tells me something useful about them.
Jerome Midthune
2024-07-20 13:30:53 +0000 UTCThe thought experiment known as "Person seeds" bears a striking resemblance to a core belief within Jainism. In Jainism, even insects are believed to possess ethical value and potentially contain souls (referred to as "jivas"). To avoid harming these jivas and accumulating negative karma, some devout Jains wear mesh masks. This practice aims to prevent the unintentional inhalation of tiny insects, which Jains believe could be reincarnated souls. By minimizing harm to these potential jivas, Jains seek to reduce their karmic debt and increase their chances of liberation from the cycle of rebirth, known as "moksha." The "Person seeds" thought experiment mirrors this belief by suggesting that even seemingly insignificant actions could have profound consequences if each action were to create a new, fully conscious being. In both cases, there is a focus on the potential for even minuscule actions to impact the well-being of others, highlighting the interconnectedness of all life forms.
Italo Giardina
2024-07-16 04:07:58 +0000 UTC
