6 ms·
Is it so hard to grasp that local optimization does not necessarily lead to globally favorable conditions?
by danharaj 11y ago
Is it so hard to grasp that local optimization does not necessarily lead to globally favorable conditions?
- tbrownaw 11y agoSo anything that's part of a system that isn't perfectly ideal is unethical now? There are certain constraints that any large-scale system made of people has to work under, for example the sort of things that make communism not work very well at scales larger than a small commune. Any localized parts of such a system, need to mesh properly with the larger system. Much that is demonized as "exploitative" (not all, but a lot of it), seems to only be considered as such because people look at the immediate imperfections, and disregard the problems that would result from attempting to "fix" those imperfections. I contend that the landlord mentioned is an example of this. You and the poster I initially replied to are providing no substantive arguments against this, but merely implying a lack of critical thought by anyone who doesn't stop their reasoning at the immediate local effects.
- baddox 11y ago> So anything that's part of a system that isn't perfectly ideal is unethical now? I suspect that the commenter means that any sociopolitical system other than his or her preferred one is unethical, which is what anyone who makes moral arguments for sociopolitical systems (i.e. nearly everyone I have ever met) is implicitly claiming.