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> Also how many people actually choose to be morbidly obese? Like, suppose I am genetically predisposed to like "unhealthy foods" (scare quotes because we don't

> Also how many people actually choose to be morbidly obese? Like, suppose I am genetically predisposed to like "unhealthy foods" (scare quotes because we don't really know what that means). Does that excuse my obesity as genetically caused? How are you going to tell the difference between someone who "selfishly likes" unhealthy foods and someone who can't help themselves? More to the point, is there a difference? I'm sorry but this is insane. Are we just abolishing any notion of personal responsibility whatsoever? I can't and won't argue from that first principle so we're going to have to disagree here fundamentally. What if I can't help myself but grope women? What if I'm genetically predisposed to violence? Or kleptomania? Those things also impose a heavy cost on society, but if I just can't help myself, am I really at fault? > How are you going to tell the difference between someone who "selfishly likes" unhealthy foods and someone who can't help themselves? More to the point, is there a difference? Of course there's a difference. If your willpower is not sufficient to correct your obesity, then you should take other, more radical steps that do. And if you don't, then you're just selfishly externalizing your problems to society. > But of course an expert can pass intellectual judgment on ideas (e.g. "candy is healthy") Good, at least we can agree on something. So to answer the first part of your post, you should ask an expert on obesity. I'm not one, so if their judgment differs from mine, I'll stand corrected. But until then, I'll be of the opinion that most obesity cases are not genetic.

jlebar 8y ago
From one of the world's foremost experts on the brain: https://www.wnycstudios.org/story/revising-fault-line https://www.wnycstudios.org/story/revising-fault-line
- antisthenes 8y ago
  I'll gladly read that in a textual format. Podcasts tend to be long-winded with a lot of useless fluff. If you have a link to one of his papers, I'll gladly peruse it.
  - jlebar 8y ago
    https://www.amazon.com/Behave-Biology-Humans-Best-Worst/dp/1594205078 https://www.amazon.com/Behave-Biology-Humans-Best-Worst/dp/1...
  - jlebar 8y ago
    BTW this podcast episode is literally talking about exactly the question that you were asking, namely, to what extent can people have responsibility for actions? Might be worth your time at 2x speed. Or not, I dunno.
jlebar 8y ago
> you should ask an expert on obesity. I'm not one, so if their judgment differs from mine, I'll stand corrected. But until then, I'll be of the opinion that most obesity cases are not genetic. You're saying you have no expertise in this, haven't spent any time reading the literature or consulting with experts, but you nonetheless are going to continue having a strong opinion on this question? What is the basis for this opinion on a question of fact? Hopefully it's not than the fact that fat people are icky and so must be morally at fault for their failings?
- antisthenes 8y ago
  I can ask you the same thing, but in reverse. What is your strong opinion on believing that people should have no responsibility for the obesity, when we know it is caused mostly by over-eating? Why do you presume people are completely hopeless at controlling what they put in their stomach? How many experts did you consult with to form your opinion?
  - jlebar 8y ago
    > What is your strong opinion on believing that people should have no responsibility for the obesity, when we know it is caused mostly by over-eating? We don't know that obesity is caused mostly by over-eating. Many basic questions about diet are unsolved, including the reason(s) that some people gain weight while others don't and the reasons that the vast majority of people can't lose weight. We just do not know to what extent do genetics, gut flora, lifestyle, and diet affect weight. We also don't know what makes for a "good" diet, or whether the same diet is good for everyone. This is not obscure knowledge. Literally if you google "what causes obesity?" you'll get pages like this: https://stanfordhealthcare.org/medical-conditions/healthy-living/obesity/causes.html https://stanfordhealthcare.org/medical-conditions/healthy-li... > How many experts did you consult with to form your opinion? I spend a lot of social time around doctors, and I read a fair amount of medical literature (for someone who isn't in the medical sciences, anyway). I am not claiming to be an expert, but I am claiming to be somewhat informed, yes. I am also claiming, more strongly, that before we as a society punish someone for causing something we'd better be pretty damn sure that the person actually did cause the thing, with mens rea and so on. I am claiming that the scientific evidence is not there for obesity.

jlebar 8y ago

From one of the world's foremost experts on the brain: https://www.wnycstudios.org/story/revising-fault-line https://www.wnycstudios.org/story/revising-fault-line

antisthenes 8y ago
I'll gladly read that in a textual format. Podcasts tend to be long-winded with a lot of useless fluff. If you have a link to one of his papers, I'll gladly peruse it.
- jlebar 8y ago
  https://www.amazon.com/Behave-Biology-Humans-Best-Worst/dp/1594205078 https://www.amazon.com/Behave-Biology-Humans-Best-Worst/dp/1...
- jlebar 8y ago
  BTW this podcast episode is literally talking about exactly the question that you were asking, namely, to what extent can people have responsibility for actions? Might be worth your time at 2x speed. Or not, I dunno.

jlebar 8y ago

> you should ask an expert on obesity. I'm not one, so if their judgment differs from mine, I'll stand corrected. But until then, I'll be of the opinion that most obesity cases are not genetic. You're saying you have no expertise in this, haven't spent any time reading the literature or consulting with experts, but you nonetheless are going to continue having a strong opinion on this question? What is the basis for this opinion on a question of fact? Hopefully it's not than the fact that fat people are icky and so must be morally at fault for their failings?

antisthenes 8y ago
I can ask you the same thing, but in reverse. What is your strong opinion on believing that people should have no responsibility for the obesity, when we know it is caused mostly by over-eating? Why do you presume people are completely hopeless at controlling what they put in their stomach? How many experts did you consult with to form your opinion?
- jlebar 8y ago
  > What is your strong opinion on believing that people should have no responsibility for the obesity, when we know it is caused mostly by over-eating? We don't know that obesity is caused mostly by over-eating. Many basic questions about diet are unsolved, including the reason(s) that some people gain weight while others don't and the reasons that the vast majority of people can't lose weight. We just do not know to what extent do genetics, gut flora, lifestyle, and diet affect weight. We also don't know what makes for a "good" diet, or whether the same diet is good for everyone. This is not obscure knowledge. Literally if you google "what causes obesity?" you'll get pages like this: https://stanfordhealthcare.org/medical-conditions/healthy-living/obesity/causes.html https://stanfordhealthcare.org/medical-conditions/healthy-li... > How many experts did you consult with to form your opinion? I spend a lot of social time around doctors, and I read a fair amount of medical literature (for someone who isn't in the medical sciences, anyway). I am not claiming to be an expert, but I am claiming to be somewhat informed, yes. I am also claiming, more strongly, that before we as a society punish someone for causing something we'd better be pretty damn sure that the person actually did cause the thing, with mens rea and so on. I am claiming that the scientific evidence is not there for obesity.