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The problem I see here is that your definition of counterproductive might not match mine. Maybe I think punishment is important for moral reasons so longer pri
by problems 9y ago
The problem I see here is that your definition of counterproductive might not match mine.
Maybe I think punishment is important for moral reasons so longer prison sentences are something I favor. That's not exactly a logic level issue, that's not a media issue, that's a moral decision I've made. Just because my view of the world differs from yours doesn't make it less valid, maybe I made a decision based on my conscience or upbringing instead of on pure economic or improving lives grounds. I don't think that makes the decision less valid. Many such policies can be viewed in this light.
- candu 9y agoIf we’re making decisions that could have been predicted, on the basis on known scientific evidence, to lead to measurably worse outcomes, I’d argue that does indeed make those decisions less valid. There’s a troubling tendency these days to discredit scientific expertise, or to mischaracterize it as partisan. It’s insane to imagine that we can forever hide behind arbitrary (and, often, deeply problematic) value systems to ignore the available expertise, knowledge, and data. You can't move water uphill with morality.