From: Dan Fabulich (daniel.fabulich@yale.edu)
Date: Tue Mar 14 2000 - 09:57:32 MST
'What is your name?' 'Robin Hanson.' 'Do you deny having written the
following?':
> Btw, I find it curious people are shocked to find that they might agree
> with something Kaczynski wrote. Would they be shocked if Kaczynski had
> written that the sun will rise tomorrow, or that computers will get cheaper?
> Why must a person who does evil things be wrong about everything?
Because, in an important sense, the beliefs which he shares with us ("the
sun will rise tomorrow," "computers will get cheaper," "there have been
some black dogs", etc.) were not the relevant reasons he did what he did.
On the other hand, these other beliefs which he holds, and shares with
Bill Joy, ARE an important part of the cause of his acting that way.
Nonetheless, the argument does seem to suggest a certain logic of the
form: "a well known crazy person believes these things, therefore these
beliefs are crazy" which we don't take to be a valid form of argument.
-Dan
-unless you love someone-
-nothing else makes any sense-
e.e. cummings
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