Comment by Lammy
So sick of Hanlon's Razor. It's just a gift to the actually-malicious. If the outcome is the same then intentions don't matter.
So sick of Hanlon's Razor. It's just a gift to the actually-malicious. If the outcome is the same then intentions don't matter.
Letting the people slide is not the same thing as letting the action/outcome slide. I do think it's reasonable to let intent inform one's feelings toward the person, but if it's easy to accidentally do fraudulent science then the system should still be criticized and the systemic problem should still be addressed.
IMO it’s only applicable to humans. Hierarchies attract malicious actors.
> So sick of Hanlon's Razor. It's just a gift to the actually-malicious. If the outcome is the same then intentions don't matter.
I think that's only true for a single incident. If someone does injury to me, I'm just as injured whether they were malicious or incompetent, but mitigation strategies for future interactions are different.
I consider it a reminder to stop and think before getting swept up in outrage.
Sure, bad actors will maintain plausible deniability, but I would rather let some people slide than get worked up over mistakes or misunderstandings.