"Rationality Rules" Debate Notes

Value of Truth?

"I am not saying that being correct is preferable to not being correct."

"...when someone corrects Stefan, they are not necessarily implicitly accepting the fact that it would be 'better' for him to correct his error. While it is fair to say that most people accept this premise (that is, they assume that Stefan has the goal of being accurate about UPB), others don't make this assumption. I, for example, don't. When I correct Stefan, I do so because:

1. I have the goal of being accurate about UPB, and I know that by publicly expressing a critique, I increase the chances of someone else correcting me should I be mistaken - and
2. I assume that you, the viewer, have the goal of being accurate about UPB. I, however, do not assume that Stefan has the goal of being accurate about UPB - because, honestly, I'm not entirely convinced that he does.
3. It's for this reason that I don't tell him that it would be 'better' for him to change his opinion. I don't, in fact, tell anyone that it would be "better" for them to change their opinion. Indeed, I don't make any ought claim whatsoever. I exclusively make an is claim. It is the case that Stefan is incorrect."

"IF you want to be correct, you OUGHT to be accurate. Without this hypothetical imperative - without this 'if' clause - I could not - and would not - make this assertion."

9 Proofs of Evolution (Why Evolution is True)

Rationality Rules has dozens of videos with the words "Debunked/Refuted"

Even the title is important to the "value of truth":

Molyneux's Humean Disaster / Suicide

Truth is a positive value...

"And hence, that's the reason for this video. If you're currently convinced that the universe came into existence from absolutely nothing, then I hope that within the next few minutes I SHATTER you conviction - because I care about you!"

TRUTH IS A VALUE:

PUBLICLY APOLOGIZING AND CORRECTING ERRORS:

"...the mistakes I made..."

"So let's begin by delving into my mistakes..."

"I really dropped the ball here, and I will do my upmost best not to make this mistake again."

"Now this was, in my opinion, my biggest intellectual blunder... a HUGE mistake..."

"My views on hemoglobin were mistaken."

Is/Ought Dichotomy

"...according to many of the most popular definitions of a 'Christian,' Peterson is not one… and that therefore, many of his Christian followers ought to cease asserting that he's championing their beliefs."

"Trans women MUST be able to compete..." OUGHT

"Why are some people entitled to the fruits of the labor of others?"

[Economist] "Walter E Williams inherited a biological and/or social advantage that he did not earn - and thus he does not 'deserve' all the fruit of his labor."

OBJECTIVE MORALITY

"AXIOMATIC OUGHTS"

"Axiomatic 'oughts' are feelings of obligation that exist 'self-evidently' - and they do so without proof or argument. THEY JUST 'ARE.' They're facts of nature."

"Now again, we can quarrel about the axiomatic 'ought,' but here's the thing: if you already accept it - for whatever reason (or, let's face it, lack thereof), then for all intent and purposes, what's the problem? Nature has made it so that we are born with axiomatic 'oughts' - and while (again) this is intellectually dissatisfying, we just have to get on with it! As inconvenient as it might be, we are not born with a black slate, and ALL MORAL DISCOURSE MUST, FINALLY, ACCEPT THIS BRUTE FACT."

NOT IMMORAL TO MURDER

"I do not believe that it is always morally wrong to murder."

(Animals are also born with axiomatic preferences.)

"Despite the fact that I came from a broken family, and had a very rough upbringing, I am extremely lucky to have the characteristics that I do, and while I've worked extremely hard to get where I am, I did not 'earn' the temperament, patience, charisma and, if you will, intellect that I have - I was simply dealt good biological cards. Thus, I'm convinced that SOME of the fruits of my labour should go to those less fortunate."

Morality

"If there was a scenario in which I had to choose between knowing the truth and permanently diminishing the well-being of organisms - or NOT knowing the truth but permanently IMPROVING the well-being of organisms, I would choose the latter EVERY TIME. I would choose falsehood over truth because I value well-being over truth."

Free Will

"The third reason I'm not a libertarian is because I don't believe in libertarian free will. On top of the fact that we are not responsible for the biological and socioeconomic characteristics that we possess, I also don't think we're responsible (in the libertarian sense) for anything."

"It IS the case the Hume's guillotine is too complicated for your little brain."