Brennan @brennan@qoto.org
Humans are prone to self-delusion.
A scientist is a human who remains aware of this.
@LouisIngenthron I appreciate your respectful disagreement.
@LouisIngenthron Agreed. However, my question ("...how we care for one another, even as we develop more effective and subtle ways of controlling one another") inquires precisely about the subset of the problem that is *not* old.
@LouisIngenthron I see.
The broader question as I understand it is how we care for one another, even as we develop more effective and subtle ways of controlling one another. What, if any, obligations do we have to ourselves and to one another in this context?
@LouisIngenthron That's good to know. Some institutions (e.g. US & EU law) evidently take a different view.
@LouisIngenthron Make sense?
I am curious about the inconsistency implied by the last two sentences of my prior post.
Your view, that "there's nothing inherently wrong with either of these," is more coherent, as would be the view that *both* are inherently wrong.
Either of these seems to me relatively more consistent.
Riddle me this:
Agent 1 uses a chemical substance to harness your neurological addiction pathways to make you engage in a behavior (repeatedly buying a drug) that makes them money. Sadly, this behavior also undermines your health and relationships.
Agent 2 uses a behavioral technique to harness your neurological addiction pathways to make you engage in a behavior (repeatedly posting and scrolling on their app) that makes them money. Sadly, this behavior also undermines your health and relationships.
Agent 1 is a menace to society deserving of punishment.
Agent 2 is an innovative business leader deserving of admiration.
Humans are prone to self-delusion.
A scientist is a human who remains aware of this.
