This quote from Christopher Hitchens resurfaced today (thanks to readwise). What an elegant way to sum up one's moral compass.
Our belief is not a belief. Our principles are not a faith. We do not rely solely upon science and reason, because these are necessary rather than sufficient factors, but we distrust anything that contradicts science or outrages reason. We may differ on many things, but what we respect is free inquiry, openmindedness, and the pursuit of ideas for their own sake.
From god is not Great, read circa 2017.
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on our moral obligation to ensure our children's well-being.
what my grandma and Oracle have in common, and why I'm buying long-dated puts on one of them.
In the presence of randomness, high-frequency observation obscures signal. Why Djokovic's 55% point wins reveal less than his 88% match record.
that fact does not make moral reasoning impossible. It changes its character.
It means we should be cautious about moral frameworks that depend on precise enumeration of outcomes, and more respectful of constraints that have survived because they may protect society from certain failure modes.
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