Yes but!  According to some Utilitarians you would deserve a pardon from Trump. 
 

 

Ok.  Remove Aunt Susie and put four nuns.  Now you go scot free, right.  But, 
as any Utilitarian would point out, this doesn’t make sense.  You intentionally 
killed two people you could have saved.  With premeditation, even.  

 

Nick 

 

Nicholas S. Thompson

Emeritus Professor of Psychology and Biology

Clark University

 <http://home.earthlink.net/~nickthompson/naturaldesigns/> 
http://home.earthlink.net/~nickthompson/naturaldesigns/

 

From: Friam [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Frank Wimberly
Sent: Tuesday, July 10, 2018 11:34 PM
To: The Friday Morning Applied Complexity Coffee Group <[email protected]>
Subject: Re: [FRIAM] What's so bad about Scientism?

 

Of you kill Aunt Susie in order to save French poodles, you're going to prison.

----
Frank Wimberly

www.amazon.com/author/frankwimberly 
<http://www.amazon.com/author/frankwimberly> 

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Frank_Wimberly2

Phone (505) 670-9918

 

On Tue, Jul 10, 2018, 9:21 PM Nick Thompson <[email protected] 
<mailto:[email protected]> > wrote:

Fascinating response, Marcus.

 

Does this mean you cannot imagine ==> rational<== paralyzing doubt?  So, 
imagine yourself in some situation of grave consequence, Truman’s decision to 
use the bomb or Comey’s decision to restart the investigation (or to announce 
its conclusion in the first place), or one of those “two track” hypotheticals 
that utilitarian’s are so fond of*,  can you imagine yourself, not anxious, not 
in need of therapy at all, but unable to act?  

 

I suppose one could have a standard rule:  in situations of grave consequence, 
I do nothing, or I flip a coin.  

 

In some dire situations animals “freeze”.  It’s rational for animals because 
many predators’ prey- catching systems work on motion.  Human decision 
paralysis might just be an evolutionary hold over.  

Does that make it neurotic or just ill-suited to modern circumstances. 

 

Nick 

 

*You are the man in charge of a track switch beyond which tied to the tracks, 
on one side, four French Poodles and on the other side your beloved Aunt Susie. 
 Incidentally, you should also know that the passenger cars on the train are 
loaded with a thousand pregnant girl scouts.  (So don’t try to jam that switch 
in the middle, you wise guy!)   

 

Nicholas S. Thompson

Emeritus Professor of Psychology and Biology

Clark University

 <http://home.earthlink.net/~nickthompson/naturaldesigns/> 
http://home.earthlink.net/~nickthompson/naturaldesigns/

 

From: Friam [mailto:[email protected] 
<mailto:[email protected]> ] On Behalf Of Marcus Daniels
Sent: Saturday, July 07, 2018 12:10 PM
To: The Friday Morning Applied Complexity Coffee Group <[email protected] 
<mailto:[email protected]> >
Subject: Re: [FRIAM] What's so bad about Scientism?

 

 

“By doubt, here, I don't mean entertained doubt.  I mean doubt sufficiently 
profound that one cannot, when one needs to, pursue any course of action.  REAL 
doubt.  Paralyzing doubt.”

 

That’s a different thing, anxiety and/or depression.  Treatable with exercise, 
medication, or therapy.

 

Marcus

 

 

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