Living room Quote by Eliezer Yudkowsky
““After all, if the only meaning of the word “wiggin” is “green-eyed black-haired person,” then why not just call those people “green-eyed black-haired people”? And if you’re wondering whether someone is a ketchup-reacher, why not ask directly, “Is he a ketchup-reacher?” rather than “Is he a wiggin?” (Note substitution of substance for symbol.) Oh, but arguing the real question would require work. You’d have to actually watch the wiggin to see if he reached for the ketchup. Or maybe see if you can find statistics on how many green-eyed black-haired people actually like ketchup. At any rate, you wouldn’t be able to do it sitting in your living room with your eyes closed. And people are lazy. They’d rather argue “by definition,” especially since they think “you can define a word any way you like.””
About This Quote
Source Essay: Rationality: A-Z, Eliezer Yudkowsky, 2013
Language definitions can be arbitrary; relying on them without evidence leads to empty arguments.
In simple terms: Words can be defined arbitrarily; evidence matters.
Key Takeaway
Question definitions and seek evidence.
Themes
language
logic
critical thinking
Mood
analytical
skeptical
Type
philosophical
educational
When to use this quote
- debate preparation
- critical reading
- philosophical discussion
- policy analysis
Key Concepts
semantic ambiguity
argumentation
epistemology
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you verify the meaning behind a term?
- When is a definition useful versus misleading?
A Different Perspective
Definitions alone don’t prove claims; empirical verification is needed.
