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This is being dense for no reason. 'Why is there poverty? ' means 'Why is there poverty [when there could not be]?', obviously. Same with every other question t
by ajkjk 2y ago
This is being dense for no reason. 'Why is there poverty? ' means 'Why is there poverty [when there could not be]?', obviously. Same with every other question they pretend to be surprised by an inverse formulation of.
- Sakos 2y agoThis is unreasonably dismissive of a very interesting article about where our beliefs and our "knowledge" of the world comes from. HN is supposed to be a place where we try to learn more about the world and our understanding of that world. But if an article becomes a tiny bit philosophical, people go all "nuh-uh, don't want to think about this at all". What is this epistemological laziness? At a time where even the most basic truths have become deeply polarised, political issues, it's important to be able to think about how we arrive at what we "know". Because it's something we're constantly struggling with, whether consciously or not. And if you're not conscious of this struggle, then you're just allowing yourself to be dragged along with whatever tide "seems" rational to you or "feels right".
- empath75 2y agoAnything on Hacker News that requires more than 30 seconds of attention usually starts off with dismissive hot takes.
- ajkjk 2y agoMy reply was not that I did not want to think about it! I thought that the article was bad at thinking about it. I like philosophy, but there's still such a thing as bad philosophy and this is, imo, it.
- card_zero 2y agoI wonder if this even is a time where basic truths have become deeply polarised. The article kind of implies "it was ever thus".
- mistermann 2y ago> What is this epistemological laziness? It would be hilarious if this was the answer to the question of why we have poverty. It would not surprise me at all. Oh, and for your question: it is our culture. Paying no mind to epistemology most of the time (if not considering the very concept hilarious) is what Westerners do.
- BriggyDwiggs42 2y agoWhat are you even trying to say?
- trackofalljades 2y agoThey're trying to say that they've never studied philosophy, or perhaps even discrete mathematics, and possibly that they don't understand the inherent value in breaking down and very methodically and rationally trying to explain ideas or answer questions that may seem "obvious."
- ajkjk 2y agoNo, I just thought the article was intellectually lazy and picking on strawmen.