[extropy-chat] what is probability?

[Jef Allbright]

gts wrote:

> A key question here, at let me ask you what you think
> on this, is that of whether two rational individuals
> with the same background knowledge might be permitted
> to hold different judgmental probabilities about the
> same question.

> As I mentioned to Jef, I define a true subjectivist as
> one who answers yes to that question.

Gordon, remember when you started this thread and I asked  whether you thought it was like the Qualia Debate?  You're now at the point where I can highlight why I made that comparison.
 
Consider the following paraphrase of your question above:
 
"A key question here is whether two machines, each functioning as rational processing units, with the same inputs,  might output different results to the same question."
 
If you think they can provide different outputs, then your thinking is based on an assumption that (1) "rational" is different for different agents, or (2) "input" is different for different agents.  In either case, there's an assumption of something special (something undefined) going on in the subjective processing of the agent, just as people assume something special going on which they call qualia.
 
- Jef
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