[extropy-chat] examples of rational irrationalism

[Jef Allbright]

Russell Wallace wrote:
> The Avantguardian wrote: 
>> A rational player is defined as a player who makes
>> moves to raise ones score and draw closer to winning
>> the game. To make moves intent on lowering ones score
>> and losing the game is thereby irrational, UNLESS the
>> Game is a subgame of larger game and in the larger
>> game one can raise ones "score" by "losing" the
>> subgame.
>
> Which in turn can be taken as an alternative wording
> of Jef Allbright's perspective in terms of increasing
> scope (if I understand him correctly). 

Yes, although I prefer to use the phrase "increasing context" with
regard to awareness, interpretation, meaning and decision-making, and
"increasing scope" with regard to interactions, effects, consequences,
etc.

Once you get familiar with the idea that assessment of rationality
necessarily implies a context, and that assessment of morality necessary
implies an increasing context and scope, then you come to the
interesting observation that all subjective contexts are necessarily
incomplete, i.e. subsumed within a greater context of potential (future)
awareness, leading to the idea of an arrow of increasing -- what? --
similar to the statistical arrow of time observed in classical
thermodynamics.

<appearance_of_arrogance>
For those who are interested enough to think through the preceding, the
next likely stumbling block in the train of thought has to do with
remembering that all assessments are necessarily subjective, but that
they tend toward increasing objectivity as they are tested via
interaction within increasing scope of reality.

A result of such thinking is clear resolution of such so-called
paradoxes as "free-will" and "meaning of life", but you give up any
belief in an intrinsic Self in the process.
</appearance_of_arrogance>

- Jef