[ExI] The void left by deleting religion

[Eliezer S. Yudkowsky]

Stathis Papaioannou wrote:
> 
> You obviously believe that the truth is better than falsehood and you're 
> probably right. However, it is at least logically possible that 
> widespread belief in a Noble Lie might have a net positive effect. In 
> that case, is it still better to destroy the Lie regardless of the 
> consequences?

By the logical definition of "net positive", no.  In real life, yes. 
That is, I think the condition you have just logically defined would 
be quite extremely hard to fulfill.  I suppose I would believe a lie 
if the alternative were the destruction of humanity, but in real life 
it works the other way around.

-- 
Eliezer S. Yudkowsky                          http://singinst.org/
Research Fellow, Singularity Institute for Artificial Intelligence