Can you summarize Eliezer Yudkowsky's "Disguised Queries"?
[https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/4FcxgdvdQP45D6Skg/disguised-queries]
[Draft 1]
In his essay "Disguised Queries," Eliezer Yudkowsky argues that people often confuse debates about definitions with empirical questions. He uses the term "disguised query" to describe situations where someone frames their argument as a matter of defining a term, but their underlying goal is actually to infer a characteristic shared by most things within a particular category.
Here's a breakdown of his key points:
- Disguised queries: People may argue about where to draw a definitional boundary, when their real concern is whether a certain characteristic applies to most things within that category. This creates confusion because it seems like they are debating the meaning of a word, but they are actually trying to answer a different question about the real world.
- Example: Yudkowsky uses the Ten Commandments to illustrate this concept. Debating whether "graven image" includes statues or only specific types of idols might seem like a definitional issue. However, the underlying concern is likely whether creating any kind of image is morally wrong. This is a disguised query because it uses the definition of "graven image" to answer a different ethical question.
By recognizing disguised queries, Yudkowsky suggests we can engage in more productive discussions. By clarifying whether we are debating definitions or drawing inferences about the real world, we can avoid getting sidetracked and focus on the core issue at hand.
[Draft 2]
In Eliezer Yudkowsky's "Disguised Queries," he argues that seemingly factual arguments can often be disguised attempts to answer different questions about the world.
Here are the key points:
- Disguised queries: People often frame their arguments around drawing boundaries or defining categories. However, these arguments might actually be about inferring characteristics shared by things within a group.
- Example: The Ten Commandments are presented as factual statements about what one "shall" or "shall not" do. However, they could be interpreted as disguised queries about what behaviors are considered morally wrong based on shared characteristics within a community.
- Confusion: This disguising can lead to confusion because people might believe they are debating facts, while they are actually debating the underlying assumptions about categorization and inference.
Yudkowsky suggests recognizing disguised queries can help improve the clarity and effectiveness of communication by identifying the underlying questions and assumptions at play.
[Draft 3]
In Eliezer Yudkowsky's "Disguised Queries", the central idea revolves around mistaking arguments about definitions for queries about the real world.
Here's the gist:
- Disguised queries: People often present arguments about where to draw definitional boundaries as if they're arguing about factual truths in the real world.
- Example: Debating the exact definition of "furniture" might seem like arguing about the physical properties of objects. However, it's actually about where to draw the line on a spectrum, not about the objects themselves.
- Impact: This confusion can lead to unproductive debates and misunderstandings.
Yudkowsky uses the Ten Commandments as an example, highlighting how seemingly objective moral statements might be disguised queries about shared values, not objective facts about the world.
By recognizing disguised queries, we can avoid getting caught up in definitional arguments and focus on the underlying issues or goals.