SmoothOperator comments on Are EA billionaire philanthropists actually effective in their 'altruism'? (spoilers: no)

[+] SmoothOperator@lemmy.world -6 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Nothing about a philosopher's person matters as long as they're able to put forward coherent philosophical arguments. If a conclusion follows from a set of assumptions and an argument, what does it matter if a five year old or a tree presented that argument?

Sure, if you distrust the source, that invites deeper scrutiny, but it cannot in itself invalidate an argument.

permalink

fedilink

source

parent

hideshow 4 child comments

[–] corbin@awful.systems 8 points 1 year ago (1 child)

That's first-order ethics. Some of us have second-order ethics. The philosophical introduction to this is Smilansky's designer ethics. The wording is fairly odious, but the concept is simple: e.g. Heidegger was a Nazi, and that means that his opinions are suspect even if competently phrased and argued. A common example of this is discounting scientific claims put forth by creationists, intelligent-design proponents, and other apologists; they are arguing with a bias and it is fair to examine that bias.

permalink

fedilink

source

parent

hideshow 2 child comments

[–] swlabr@awful.systems 8 points 1 year ago

“What do you mean the clock is broken? It’s 12 now, and the clock says 12!”

permalink

fedilink

source

parent