Modern Rationality

A modern philosophical movement that had its origins in the likes of Mr. Eliezer Yudkowsky (of the ‘LessWrong’ fame), known for its members’ rather excursive ¹ style of writings resulting from hyperfocus on cognition and blindness to affect.

Being artful often takes the form of armchair sophistry ² (“gish gallop” for instance) in rationalists. Like anyone with an identity, native intelligence does not always operate and function cleanly and clearly on the movement’s members, despite well-meaning efforts and intentions.

Associated fields & beliefs

Effective Altruism (EA)

EA proponents generally care more about, say, animal rights than the mental health of their fellow humans. See Kathleen Stock’s article Effective altruism is the new woke:

Effectively, both longtermism and woke progressivism take a highly restricted number of emotional impulses many of us ordinarily have, and then vividly conjure up heart-rending scenarios of supposed harm in order to prime our malleable intuitions in the desired direction. Each insists that we then extend these impulses quasi-rigorously, past any possible relevance to our own personal lives. [..]

What is perhaps particularly scary about the longtermists, as opposed to the other lot, is not that they are driven by emotion, but that they don’t know they are. [..] Grand-scale fantasies of saving the world are easy. Personal relationships are hard.

The “You Can’t Change Human Nature” hoary belief

Rob Henderson, et al.

People skeptical of rationalists

• Alexandros Marinos – who is also known to have gotten into argument with Mr. Scott Alexander (yet another ‘authority’ in this movement, commanding its denizens what to think).