To me, adaptive pragmatism demands evaluating what you should and shouldn’t be pessimistic or optimistic about. I can be optimistic about my ability to act to make better a pessimistic view of the future. As opposed to being irrationally optimistic about the future despite all the evidence of why you shouldn’t be optimistic about it. Our outlooks aren’t always uniform for every single thing. — Mark Dennis
I don't think anyone alive made the rule "don't kill." We just follow it when it suits us. Sometimes we value life, sometimes we don't
I don’t know about that, biology does a good job of making us value air, food, water etc. Maybe I’m faking it though, maybe I don’t really need food or water or air?
— Mark Dennis
You separate yourself from your biology? That's a neat trick.
Truly becoming nihilistic isn't something everybody is going to do. It's not a way of thinking I'd recommend (or warn against for that matter.) It just comes.
I think this is the key. What we are really talking about here is optimism vs. pessimism in the case of serious and complex situations with lots of unknowns. In that context, to me, optimism takes the form of believing that "we can make a difference" not just that "the best result will ensue" (a la Leibniz). Pessimism that "there is nothing we can do".
Broad Optimism" in the sense that a solution is possible, the negation of narrow pessimism.
"Narrow Optimism" in the sense that a solution is guaranteed, a subset of broad optimism.
"Broad Pessimism" in the sense that a solution is not guaranteed, the negation of narrow optimism.
"Narrow Pessimism in the sense that a solution is impossible, a subset of broad pessimism.
These are just the four basic logical modalities (possibility, necessity, contingency, and impossibility) applied to the solvability of the problem.
It seems to me that some people are arguing against narrow pessimism and so in favor of broad optimism (but not necessarily in favor of narrow optimism), while other people are arguing against narrow optimism and so in favor of broad pessimism (but not necessarily in favor of narrow pessimism). Those two arguments are compatible with each other, and if both are right (as I agree) then [the right attitude is to assume that] a solution is what I like to call merely possible: possible but contingent.
If you can act, you do not need to worry, if you can’t act then worrying will get you nowhere.” — Mark Dennis
@PfhorrestBroad Optimism" in the sense that a solution is possible, the negation of narrow pessimism.
"Narrow Optimism" in the sense that a solution is guaranteed, a subset of broad optimism.
"Broad Pessimism" in the sense that a solution is not guaranteed, the negation of narrow optimism.
"Narrow Pessimism in the sense that a solution is impossible, a subset of broad pessimism.
These are just the four basic logical modalities (possibility, necessity, contingency, and impossibility) applied to the solvability of the problem.
It seems to me that some people are arguing against narrow pessimism and so in favor of broad optimism (but not necessarily in favor of narrow optimism), while other people are arguing against narrow optimism and so in favor of broad pessimism (but not necessarily in favor of narrow pessimism). Those two arguments are compatible with each other, and if both are right (as I agree) then [the right attitude is to assume that] a solution is what I like to call merely possible: possible but contingent.
To fight unhappiness one must first expose it, which means that one must dispel the mystifications behind which it is hidden so that people do not have to think about it. It is because I reject lies and running away that I am accused of pessimism; but this rejection implies hope — the hope that truth may be of use. And this is a more optimistic attitude than the choice of indifference, ignorance or sham. — Simone De Beauvoir
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