Feeling Rational
The complete essay below is a Version 0 Yuddish translation: invariant articles, pronouns and modifiers; explicit prepositions in place of case marking; short numeral roots; speaker-owned credence; and paragraph scope with explicit extended frames. Ordinary questions close automatically at their question boundary. Each of its 34 aligned passages supplies the English original, Latin Yuddish, Hebrew script, and a readable gloss.
Original author: Eliezer Yudkowsky. Source: “Feeling Rational”, in the 2015 edition of Rationality: From AI to Zombies, published by MIRI; HTML edition by Said Achmiz. The edition is released under CC BY-NC-SA 3.0, as stated in its license notice. This adaptation is offered under the same license. The short quotation attributed to P. C. Hodgell retains that attribution.
The title in Yuddish is Ratsyonal filn / ראַציאָנאַל פֿילן. The first person and EF values belong to the essay's reconstructed speaking voice. Where the author supplied no number, the translator invented a numerical reading as an intended part of Yuddish translation. These values are not historically stated probabilities or the translator's independent endorsement.
Translation conventions
Both essays follow the reference’s scope conventions. Fourteen nested frames inside the essays use explicit lang because they cross logical paragraphs; the outer Moloch voice is extended separately. Ordinary questions close at their own question boundary. Personal singular zey identifies people and explicitly personified beings where that reference is foregrounded. Impersonal es and plural zey remain available; zelb is reserved for unambiguous sentence-local reference and is not inserted merely to showcase the rule.
The lake in the fish-farm model is now ozere, avoiding collision with zey. Adjectival “new” uses the listed word naydik; numerical nay remains nine. This is a translation vocabulary choice, not a claim that naydik is an inherited Yiddish word. Ordinary inherited plurals and nonquantified lexical modals remain valid. Damaged word breaks and inconsistent spellings encountered in the review were also repaired.
Selected modal grades are editorial interpretations under the reference’s default ordinal scale. In M078 and M134, zol-zek expresses a very strong recommendation to prioritize public welfare and emphasize the distinction respectively. M182 uses zol-dra for a substantial recommendation to be wary of meme selection. M279 uses vil-zek for a strong desire to criticize; M290 uses vil-nay for the highest conventional desire to govern the universe, in the source’s rhetorical voice. M319 uses zol-zek for a very strong recommendation to close the destructive bargain. These grades are not probabilities or measured utility. Their outer EF assesses the classification itself. Other numerical choices retain the earlier reconstruction except where a newly explicit assertion required a value.
The vocabulary is a single alphabetical list, with definitions, recorded forms, and links to examples in these translations. The translator’s note below Moloch’s heading discusses interpretive difficulties. Suggestions in that note are questions for further study, not alternatives to the release grammar.
Question boundaries
Ordinary freg now closes at its terminal ?, or completed interrogative intonation in speech. Both essays and the standalone Feeling Rational reading copies apply this rule in Latin and Hebrew. Gloss AUTO-CLOSE describes that boundary; it is not a pronounced word. A surrounding supposition, quotation, model, or translated voice stays open and keeps its own closer. In FR023 and FR030 the remaining oys therefore closes nem. The three questions in FR021 each receive their own freg.
Quoted question marks without an active freg do not close quotation frames. M068 retains the closer after its displayed education question; M137 retains both the enclosing quotation and supposition closers after the rhetorical question. Freg lang … oys remains available when a deliberately extended question frame must survive question or paragraph boundaries. The English originals, attributions, and reconstructed numerical commitments remain aligned.
Reading notes
Numerical commitments use the short digits: ef-oy-fir is +4 bits, ef-oy-zek is +6, and ef-un-dra is −3. The compact av and avav forms still mean +10 and +20 bits. Glosses show numerical values to make comparison easy. E1, E2, E3 and EPL identify auxiliary agreement; SELF, REPORT, SEEN and INF identify evidence routes.
Translated quotations and displayed complements follow the grammar: reconstructed assertions carry EF; unasserted displayed thoughts retain their display status. Tsit marks quotation or displayed content; it does not require preserving old Yiddish morphology in a translation. Hypothetical frames can span passage boundaries: passage 13 opens an explicit Nem lang supposition closed in passage 14. Every oys closes the innermost still-open frame; it does not close an ordinary question that has already ended at ?.
The two numbered rules in passage 29 use rang eyn and rang tsve. Passage 32 preserves the source's approximate “tens of billions” with etlekh tsen milyard, rather than inventing a precise count, and explicitly includes the imagined future in which we make the stars our cities. The gloss follows these revised constructions; it is not a complete morpheme-by-morpheme analysis.
1.1
A popular belief about “rationality” is that rationality opposes all emotion—that all our sadness and all our joy are automatically anti-logical by virtue of being feelings.
A gleybung vegn “ratsyonalkayt” ef-oy-fir=zog vayt farshpreyt zayn. Tsit ratsyonalkayt iz kegn al gefiln; undzer gants troyer un undzer gants freyd zenen avtomatish antialogish, bloyz vayl zey zenen gefiln. Oys.
אַ גלײבונג װעגן „ראַציאָנאַלקײט“ עף־אױ־פֿיר=זאָג װײַט פֿאַרשפּרײט זײַן. ציט ראַציאָנאַלקײט איז קעגן אַל געפֿילן; אונדזער גאַנץ טרױער און אונדזער גאַנץ פֿרײד זענען אַװטאָמאַטיש אַנטילאָגיש, בלױז װײַל זײ זענען געפֿילן. אױס.
A belief about “rationality” · E3[+4;REPORT] · widely spread · be. DISPLAY rationality is against all feelings; all our sadness and all our joy are automatically antilogical, merely because they are feelings. END.
1.2
Yet strangely enough, I can’t find any theorem of probability theory which proves that I should appear ice-cold and expressionless.
Ober, modn genug, ef-av=zikh ikh keyn teorem fun shans-teorye nit gefinen mit dos oysfir: tsit [ikh zol ayzkalt un on oysdruk oyszen] oys.
אָבער, מאָדן גענוג, עף־אַװ=זיך איך קײן טעאָרעם פֿון שאַנס־טעאָריע ניט געפֿינען מיט דאָס אױספֿיר: ציט [איך זאָל אײַזקאַלט און אָן אױסדרוק אױסזען] אױס.
But, strangely enough, E1[+10;SELF] · I · no theorem of probability-theory · find · with the conclusion: QUOTE [I ought to look ice-cold and expressionless] END.
1.3
So is rationality orthogonal to feeling? No; our emotions arise from our models of reality.
Freg iz ratsyonalkayt ortogonal tsu dos filn? Ef-un-av=pon. Undzer gefiln efn-av=pon fun undzer virklekhkayt-modeln antshteyn.
פֿרעג איז ראַציאָנאַלקײט אָרטאָגאָנאַל צו דאָס פֿילן? עף־און־אַװ=פּאָן. אונדזער געפֿילן עפֿן־אַװ=פּאָן פֿון אונדזער װירקלעכקײט־מאָדעלן אַנטשטײן.
QUESTION is rationality orthogonal to feeling? AUTO-CLOSE. [That proposition gets] E[−10;INF]. Our feelings · EPL[+10;INF] · from our reality-models · arise.
1.4
If I believe that my dead brother has been discovered alive, I will be happy; if I wake up and realize it was a dream, I will be sad.
Nem ikh gleyb tsit [men hot mayn toyt bruder lebedik gefunen] oys. Ikh ef-oy-zek=pon freylekh vern. Oys. Nem ikh vakh oyf un farshtey tsit [dos iz geven a kholem] oys. Ikh ef-oy-zek=pon troyerik vern. Oys.
נעם איך גלײב ציט [מען האָט מײַן טױט ברודער לעבעדיק געפֿונען] אױס. איך עף־אױ־זעק=פּאָן פֿרײלעך װערן. אױס. נעם איך װאַך אױף און פֿאַרשטײ ציט [דאָס איז געװען אַ חלום] אױס. איך עף־אױ־זעק=פּאָן טרױעריק װערן. אױס.
SUPPOSE I believe QUOTE [they have found my dead brother alive] END. I · E1[+6;INF] · happy · become. END-SUPPOSITION. SUPPOSE I wake up and understand QUOTE [this was a dream] END. I · E1[+6;INF] · sad · become. END-SUPPOSITION.
1.5
P. C. Hodgell said: “That which can be destroyed by the truth should be.”
P. C. Hodgell ef-av=zog dos gezogt hobn: tsit [tu loz dos emes tseshtern al vos es ken tseshtern] oys.
פּי־סי האָדזשעל עף־אַװ=זאָג דאָס געזאָגט האָבן: ציט [טו לאָז דאָס אמת צעשטערן אַל װאָס עס קען צעשטערן] אױס.
P. C. Hodgell · E3[+10;REPORT] · this · said · have: QUOTE [DIRECTIVE let truth destroy everything it can destroy] END.
1.6
My dreaming self’s happiness was opposed by truth. My sadness on waking is rational; there is no truth which destroys it.
Dos emes ef-av=pon kegn dos freyd fun mayn kholem-ikh geshtanen hobn. Mayn troyer bay dos oyfvakhn ef-av=pon ratsyonal zayn; keyn emes ef-av=pon dos dozik troyer nit tseshtern.
דאָס אמת עף־אַװ=פּאָן קעגן דאָס פֿרײד פֿון מײַן חלום־איך געשטאַנען האָבן. מײַן טרױער בײַ דאָס אױפֿװאַכן עף־אַװ=פּאָן ראַציאָנאַל זײַן; קײן אמת עף־אַװ=פּאָן דאָס דאָזיק טרױער ניט צעשטערן.
Truth · E3[+10;INF] · against the joy of my dream-self · stood · have. My sadness upon waking · E3[+10;INF] · rational · be; no truth · E3[+10;INF] · this sadness · destroy.
1.7
Rationality begins by asking how-the-world-is, but spreads virally to any other thought which depends on how we think the world is.
Ratsyonalkayt ef-av=pon mit dos frage onheybn: freg [vi iz dos velt?] Es ef-oy-zek=pon zikh vi a virus tsu yed ander gedank farshpreytn, vos ef-oy-zek=pon fun undzer veltbild ophengen.
ראַציאָנאַלקײט עף־אַװ=פּאָן מיט דאָס פֿראַגע אָנהײבן: פֿרעג [װי איז דאָס װעלט?] עס עף־אױ־זעק=פּאָן זיך װי אַ װירוס צו יעד אַנדער געדאַנק פֿאַרשפּרײטן, װאָס עף־אױ־זעק=פּאָן פֿון אונדזער װעלטבילד אָפהענגען.
Rationality · E3[+10;INF] · with the question · begin: QUESTION [how is the world?] AUTO-CLOSE. It · E3[+6;INF] · itself like a virus · to every other thought · spread, which · E3[+6;INF] · on our world-picture · depend.
1.8
Your beliefs about “how-the-world-is” can concern anything you think is out there in reality, anything that either does or does not exist, any member of the class “things that can make other things happen.”
Dayn gleybungen vegn dos velt efn-av=pon al vos du efst-oy-fir=pon far virklekh haltn onrirn: al ekzistirndik oder nitekzistirndik; yed mitglid fun dos klas tsit [zakhn vos kenen ander zakhn farursakhn] oys.
דײַן גלײבונגען װעגן דאָס װעלט עפֿן־אַװ=פּאָן אַל װאָס דו עפֿסט־אױ־פֿיר=פּאָן פֿאַר װירקלעך האַלטן אָנרירן: אַל עקזיסטירנדיק אָדער ניטעקזיסטירנדיק; יעד מיטגליד פֿון דאָס קלאַס ציט [זאַכן װאָס קענען אַנדער זאַכן פֿאַראורזאַכן] אױס.
Your beliefs about the world · EPL[+10;INF] · everything which you · E2[+4;INF] · consider real · concern: everything existing or nonexistent; every member of the class QUOTE [things that can cause other things] END.
1.9
If you believe that there is a goblin in your closet that ties your shoes’ laces together, then this is a belief about how-the-world-is.
Nem du gleybst tsit [in dayn shaf lebt a sheydl vos bindt dayn shukhbendlekh tsuzamen] oys. Dos dozik gleybung ef-avav=pon a gleybung vegn dos velt zayn. Oys.
נעם דו גלײבסט ציט [אין דײַן שאַף לעבט אַ שײדל װאָס בינדט דײַן שוךבענדלעך צוזאַמען] אױס. דאָס דאָזיק גלײבונג עף־אַװאַװ=פּאָן אַ גלײבונג װעגן דאָס װעלט זײַן. אױס.
SUPPOSE you believe QUOTE [in your closet lives a little demon that ties your shoelaces together] END. This belief · E3[+20;INF] · a belief about the world · be. END-SUPPOSITION.
1.10
Your shoes are real—you can pick them up.
Dayn shikh efn-av=pon virklekh zayn; du efst-oy-zek=pon zey oyfheybn kenen.
דײַן שיך עפֿן־אַװ=פּאָן װירקלעך זײַן; דו עפֿסט־אױ־זעק=פּאָן זײ אױפֿהײבן קענען.
Your shoes · EPL[+10;INF] · real · be; you · E2[+6;INF] · them · lift · be-able.
1.11
If there’s something out there that can reach out and tie your shoelaces together, it must be real too, part of the vast web of causes and effects we call the “universe.”
Nem epes dort ken aroyslangen un dayn shukhbendlekh tsuzamenbindn. Dos ef-avav=pon oykh virklekh zayn: a teyl fun dos umgeheyer nets fun sibes un nokhfolgn. Heys dos nets “univers”. Oys.
נעם עפּעס דאָרט קען אַרױסלאַנגען און דײַן שוךבענדלעך צוזאַמענבינדן. דאָס עף־אַװאַװ=פּאָן אױך װירקלעך זײַן: אַ טײל פֿון דאָס אומגעהײַער נעץ פֿון סיבות און נאָכפֿאָלגן. הײס דאָס נעץ „אוניװערס“. אױס.
SUPPOSE something out there can reach out and tie your shoelaces together. It · E3[+20;INF] · also real · be: a part of the immense network of causes and consequences. CALL that network “universe.” END-SUPPOSITION.
1.12
Feeling angry at the goblin who tied your shoelaces involves a state of mind that is not just about how-the-world-is.
Kas oyf dos sheydl, dos tsuzamenbinder fun dayn shukhbendlekh, ef-oy-zek=pon a geyst-tsushtand aynshlisn, vos ef-oy-zek=pon nit bloyz dos velt bashraybn.
כּעס אױף דאָס שײדל, דאָס צוזאַמענבינדער פֿון דײַן שוךבענדלעך, עף־אױ־זעק=פּאָן אַ גײסט־צושטאַנד אײַנשליסן, װאָס עף־אױ־זעק=פּאָן ניט בלױז דאָס װעלט באַשרײַבן.
Anger at the little demon, the together-tier of your shoelaces, · E3[+6;INF] · a mental state · involve, which · E3[+6;INF] · not merely the world · describe.
1.13
Suppose that, as a Buddhist or a lobotomy patient or just a very phlegmatic person, finding your shoelaces tied together didn’t make you angry.
Nem lang du bist a budist, a lobotomie-patsyent, oder bloyz a zeyer flegmatish mentsh; du gefinst dayn shukhbendlekh tsuzamengebundn un verst nit broygez.
נעם לאַנג דו ביסט אַ בודיסט, אַ לאָבאָטאָמיע־פּאַציענט, אָדער בלױז אַ זײער פֿלעגמאַטיש מענטש; דו געפֿינסט דײַן שוךבענדלעך צוזאַמענגעבונדן און װערסט ניט ברוגז.
EXTENDED-SUPPOSE you are a Buddhist, a lobotomy patient, or merely a very phlegmatic person; you find your shoelaces tied together and do not become angry.
1.14
This wouldn’t affect what you expected to see in the world—you’d still expect to open up your closet and find your shoelaces tied together.
Dos ef-oy-zek=pon dayn derwartungen vegn dos velt nit andern. Du efst-oy-zek=pon nokh dervartn: tsit [ikh makh mayn shaf oyf un gefin mayn shukhbendlekh tsuzamengebundn] oys. Oys.
דאָס עף־אױ־זעק=פּאָן דײַן דערװאַרטונגען װעגן דאָס װעלט ניט אַנדערן. דו עפֿסט־אױ־זעק=פּאָן נאָך דערװאַרטן: ציט [איך מאַך מײַן שאַף אױף און געפֿין מײַן שוךבענדלעך צוזאַמענגעבונדן] אױס. אױס.
This · E3[+6;INF] · your expectations about the world · not change. You · E2[+6;INF] · still · expect: QUOTE [I open my closet and find my shoelaces tied together] END-QUOTE. END-SUPPOSITION.
1.15
Your anger or calm shouldn’t affect your best guess here, because what happens in your closet does not depend on your emotional state of mind; though it may take some effort to think that clearly.
Tu loz dayn kas oder dayn ru nit farbaygn dayn best shatsung do. Dos geshenishn in dayn shaf efn-av=pon nit fun dayn gefils-tsushtand ophengen. Azoy klor trakhtn ef-oy-fir=pon a bisl onshtrengung fodern kenen.
טו לאָז דײַן כּעס אָדער דײַן רו ניט פֿאַרבײגן דײַן בעסט שאַצונג דאָ. דאָס געשענישן אין דײַן שאַף עפֿן־אַװ=פּאָן ניט פֿון דײַן געפֿילס־צושטאַנד אָפהענגען. אַזױ קלאָר טראַכטן עף־אױ־פֿיר=פּאָן אַ ביסל אָנשטרענגונג פֿאָדערן קענען.
DIRECTIVE let your anger or your calm not distort your best estimate here. The events in your closet · EPL[+10;INF] · not on your emotional state · depend. Thinking so clearly · E3[+4;INF] · some effort · require · possibly.
1.16
But the angry feeling is tangled up with a state of mind that is about how-the-world-is; you become angry because you think the goblin tied your shoelaces.
Ober dos gefil fun kas ef-oy-zek=pon mit a velt-bashraybndik geyst-tsushtand farflokhtn zayn. Du efst-oy-zek=pon broygez vern vayl du efst-oy-zek=pon gleybn tsit [dos sheydl hot mayn shukhbendlekh tsuzamengebundn] oys.
אָבער דאָס געפֿיל פֿון כּעס עף־אױ־זעק=פּאָן מיט אַ װעלט־באַשרײַבנדיק גײסט־צושטאַנד פֿאַרפֿלאָכטן זײַן. דו עפֿסט־אױ־זעק=פּאָן ברוגז װערן װײַל דו עפֿסט־אױ־זעק=פּאָן גלײבן ציט [דאָס שײדל האָט מײַן שוךבענדלעך צוזאַמענגעבונדן] אױס.
But the feeling of anger · E3[+6;INF] · with a world-describing mental state · intertwined · be. You · E2[+6;INF] · angry · become because you · E2[+6;INF] · believe QUOTE [the little demon tied my shoelaces together] END.
1.17
The criterion of rationality spreads virally, from the initial question of whether or not a goblin tied your shoelaces, to the resulting anger.
Dos kriterium fun ratsyonalkayt ef-oy-zek=pon zikh vi a virus farshpreytn: fun dos onheyb-frage freg [hot a sheydl dayn shukhbendlekh tsuzamengebundn oder nit?], biz tsu dos kas fun dos oyskum.
דאָס קריטעריום פֿון ראַציאָנאַלקײט עף־אױ־זעק=פּאָן זיך װי אַ װירוס פֿאַרשפּרײטן: פֿון דאָס אָנהײב־פֿראַגע פֿרעג [האָט אַ שײדל דײַן שוךבענדלעך צוזאַמענגעבונדן אָדער ניט?], ביז צו דאָס כּעס פֿון דאָס אױסקום.
The criterion of rationality · E3[+6;INF] · itself like a virus · spread: from the initial question QUESTION [did a little demon tie your shoelaces together or not?] AUTO-CLOSE, to the anger resulting from that outcome.
1.18
Becoming more rational—arriving at better estimates of how-the-world-is—can diminish feelings or intensify them.
Mer ratsyonal vern—beser shatsungen fun dos velt dergreykhn—ef-oy-zek=pon gefiln farshvakhn oder farshtarkn kenen.
מער ראַציאָנאַל װערן—בעסער שאַצונגען פֿון דאָס װעלט דערגרײכן—עף־אױ־זעק=פּאָן געפֿילן פֿאַרשװאַכן אָדער פֿאַרשטאַרקן קענען.
Becoming more rational—reaching better estimates of the world—· E3[+6;INF] · feelings · weaken or strengthen · be-able.
1.19
Sometimes we run away from strong feelings by denying the facts, by flinching away from the view of the world that gave rise to the powerful emotion.
Mir efn-oy-zek=pon amol fun shtark gefiln antloyfn durkh faktn tsu leykenen, durkh zikh fun dos veltbild tsuriktsutsien vos ef-oy-zek=pon dos shtark gefil aroysgerufn hobn.
מיר עפֿן־אױ־זעק=פּאָן אַמאָל פֿון שטאַרק געפֿילן אַנטלױפֿן דורך פֿאַקטן צו לײקענען, דורך זיך פֿון דאָס װעלטבילד צוריקצוציִען װאָס עף־אױ־זעק=פּאָן דאָס שטאַרק געפֿיל אַרױסגערופֿן האָבן.
We · EPL[+6;INF] · sometimes · from strong feelings · flee by denying facts, by withdrawing from the world-picture which · E3[+6;INF] · the strong feeling · called forth · have.
1.20
If so, then as you study the skills of rationality and train yourself not to deny facts, your feelings will become stronger.
Nem azoy iz es mit du; du lernst dos feyikeytn fun ratsyonalkayt un gevoynst zikh tsu faktn nit tsu leykenen. Dayn gefiln efn-oy-fir=pon shtarker vern. Oys.
נעם אַזױ איז עס מיט דו; דו לערנסט דאָס פֿעיִקײטן פֿון ראַציאָנאַלקײט און געװױנסט זיך צו פֿאַקטן ניט צו לײקענען. דײַן געפֿילן עפֿן־אױ־פֿיר=פּאָן שטאַרקער װערן. אױס.
SUPPOSE so it is with you; you learn the skills of rationality and accustom yourself to not denying facts. Your feelings · EPL[+4;INF] · stronger · become. END-SUPPOSITION.
1.21
In my early days I was never quite certain whether it was all right to feel things strongly—whether it was allowed, whether it was proper.
In mayn frier yorn ef-av=zikh ikh keynmol gants zikher geven zayn vegn dos frage: freg [meg men shtark filn?] freg [iz es derloybt?] freg [iz es pasik?]
אין מײַן פֿריִער יאָרן עף־אַװ=זיך איך קײנמאָל גאַנץ זיכער געװען זײַן װעגן דאָס פֿראַגע: פֿרעג [מעג מען שטאַרק פֿילן?] פֿרעג [איז עס דערלױבט?] פֿרעג [איז עס פּאַסיק?]
In my earlier years · E1[+10;SELF] · I · never quite sure · been · be about the question: QUESTION [may one feel strongly?] AUTO-CLOSE. QUESTION [is it permitted?] AUTO-CLOSE. QUESTION [is it proper?] AUTO-CLOSE.
1.22
I do not think this confusion arose only from my youthful misunderstanding of rationality.
Dos dozik farvirung ef-un-dra=pon bloyz fun mayn yugntlekh misfarshteyn fun ratsyonalkayt antshteyn.
דאָס דאָזיק פֿאַרװירונג עף־און־דראַ=פּאָן בלױז פֿון מײַן יוגנטלעך מיספֿאַרשטײן פֿון ראַציאָנאַלקײט אַנטשטײן.
This confusion · E3[−3;INF] · solely from my youthful misunderstanding of rationality · arise.
1.23
I have observed similar troubles in people who do not even aspire to be rationalists; when they are happy, they wonder if they are really allowed to be happy, and when they are sad, they are never quite sure whether to run away from the emotion or not.
Ikh ef-av=zen enlekh shverikeytn bamerkt hobn bay mentshn vos efn-oy-fir=pon afile nit onshtrebn ratsyonalistn tsu zayn. Nem zey zenen freylekh. Zey efn-oy-fir=pon zikh fregn: freg [megn mir take freylekh zayn?] Oys. Nem zey zenen troyerik. Zey efn-oy-fir=pon keynmol gants zikher zayn vegn dos frage: freg [zoln mir fun dos gefil antloyfn oder nit?] Oys.
איך עף־אַװ=זען ענלעך שװעריקײטן באַמערקט האָבן בײַ מענטשן װאָס עפֿן־אױ־פֿיר=פּאָן אַפֿילו ניט אָנשטרעבן ראַציאָנאַליסטן צו זײַן. נעם זײ זענען פֿרײלעך. זײ עפֿן־אױ־פֿיר=פּאָן זיך פֿרעגן: פֿרעג [מעגן מיר טאַקע פֿרײלעך זײַן?] אױס. נעם זײ זענען טרױעריק. זײ עפֿן־אױ־פֿיר=פּאָן קײנמאָל גאַנץ זיכער זײַן װעגן דאָס פֿראַגע: פֿרעג [זאָלן מיר פֿון דאָס געפֿיל אַנטלױפֿן אָדער ניט?] אױס.
I · E1[+10;SEEN] · similar difficulties · noticed · have among people who · EPL[+4;INF] · do not even aspire to be rationalists. SUPPOSE they are happy. They · EPL[+4;INF] · ask themselves: QUESTION [may we really be happy?] AUTO-CLOSE. END-SUPPOSITION. SUPPOSE they are sad. They · EPL[+4;INF] · never quite sure · be about the question: QUESTION [should we flee this feeling or not?] AUTO-CLOSE. END-SUPPOSITION.
1.24
Since the days of Socrates at least, and probably long before, the way to appear cultured and sophisticated has been to never let anyone see you care strongly about anything.
Zint dos tsaytn fun Sokrates ef-oy-tsve=zog dos veg tsu dos oyszen kultivirt un rafinirt geven zayn: tsu keyn mentsh nit vayzn keyn shtark getrayhayt tsu epes. Nokh lang frier ef-oy-eyn=pon dos oykh azoy geven zayn.
זינט דאָס צײַטן פֿון סאָקראַטעס עף־אױ־צװע=זאָג דאָס װעג צו דאָס אױסזען קולטיװירט און ראַפֿינירט געװען זײַן: צו קײן מענטש ניט װײַזן קײן שטאַרק געטרײַהײט צו עפּעס. נאָך לאַנג פֿריִער עף־אױ־אײן=פּאָן דאָס אױך אַזױ געװען זײַן.
Since the times of Socrates · E3[+2;REPORT] · the way to appearing cultured and sophisticated · been · be: to no person · showing any strong devotion to anything. Long before that · E3[+1;INF] · it · likewise so · been · be.
1.25
It’s embarrassing to feel—it’s just not done in polite society.
Filn ef-oy-fir=pon farshemendik zayn; in dos heflekh gezelshaft ef-oy-fir=zog men es poshet nit ton.
פֿילן עף־אױ־פֿיר=פּאָן פֿאַרשעמענדיק זײַן; אין דאָס העפֿלעך געזעלשאַפֿט עף־אױ־פֿיר=זאָג מען עס פּשוט ניט טאָן.
Feeling · E3[+4;INF] · embarrassing · be; in polite society · E3[+4;REPORT] · one · it · simply · not do.
1.26
You should see the strange looks I get when people realize how much I care about rationality.
Tu kuk oyf dos modn blikn. Nem mentshn farshteyen vi shtark ikh bin getray tsu dos ratsyonalkayt. Ikh ef-av=zen azelkh blikn bakumen. Oys.
טו קוק אױף דאָס מאָדן בליקן. נעם מענטשן פֿאַרשטײען װי שטאַרק איך בין געטרײַ צו דאָס ראַציאָנאַלקײט. איך עף־אַװ=זען אַזעלך בליקן באַקומען. אױס.
DIRECTIVE look at the strange looks. SUPPOSE people understand how strongly I am devoted to rationality. I · E1[+10;SEEN] · such looks · receive. END-SUPPOSITION.
1.27
It’s not the unusual subject, I think, but that they’re not used to seeing sane adults who visibly care about anything.
Dos ungeveyntlekh teme ef-un-tsve=pon dos sibe zayn. Dos sibe ef-oy-dra=pon zayn zeyer ungeveyntkayt tsu dos zen geystik gezunt dervaksn mentshn mit a klor ongevizn shtark getrayhayt tsu epes.
דאָס אומגעװײנטלעך טעמע עף־און־צװע=פּאָן דאָס סיבה זײַן. דאָס סיבה עף־אױ־דראַ=פּאָן זײַן זײער אומגעװײנטקײט צו דאָס זען גײסטיק געזונט דערװאַקסן מענטשן מיט אַ קלאָר אָנגעװיזן שטאַרק געטרײַהײט צו עפּעס.
The unusual subject · E3[−2;INF] · the cause · be. The cause · E3[+3;INF] · be · their unfamiliarity with seeing mentally healthy adults with a clearly displayed strong devotion to something.
1.28
But I know, now, that there’s nothing wrong with feeling strongly.
Ober itst ef-av=zikh ikh visn, az shtark filn ef-av=pon nit keyn shlekht zayn.
אָבער איצט עף־אַװ=זיך איך װיסן, אַז שטאַרק פֿילן עף־אַװ=פּאָן ניט קײן שלעכט זײַן.
But now · E1[+10;SELF] · I · know, that feeling strongly · E3[+10;INF] · not something wrong · be.
1.29
Ever since I adopted the rule of “That which can be destroyed by the truth should be,” I’ve also come to realize “That which the truth nourishes should thrive.”
Ikh ef-av=zikh dos regel rang eyn ongenumen hobn: tsit [tu loz dos emes tseshtern al vos es ken tseshtern] oys. Zint dos ef-av=zikh ikh oykh tsu dos regel rang tsve gekumen zayn: tsit [tu loz al vos dos emes ernert blien] oys.
איך עף־אַװ=זיך דאָס רעגל ראַנג אײן אָנגענומען האָבן: ציט [טו לאָז דאָס אמת צעשטערן אַל װאָס עס קען צעשטערן] אױס. זינט דאָס עף־אַװ=זיך איך אױך צו דאָס רעגל ראַנג צװע געקומען זײַן: ציט [טו לאָז אַל װאָס דאָס אמת ערנערט בליִען] אױס.
I · E1[+10;SELF] · the rule · RANK one · accepted · have: QUOTE [DIRECTIVE let truth destroy everything it can destroy] END. Since then · E1[+10;SELF] · I · also to the rule · RANK two · come · be: QUOTE [DIRECTIVE let everything truth nourishes flourish] END.
1.30
When something good happens, I am happy, and there is no confusion in my mind about whether it is rational for me to be happy.
Nem epes gut geshet. Ikh ef-av=zikh freylekh zayn. Ikh ef-av=zikh keyn farvirung nit hobn vegn dos frage: freg [iz es ratsyonal far ikh freylekh tsu zayn?] Oys.
נעם עפּעס גוט געשעט. איך עף־אַװ=זיך פֿרײלעך זײַן. איך עף־אַװ=זיך קײן פֿאַרװירונג ניט האָבן װעגן דאָס פֿראַגע: פֿרעג [איז עס ראַציאָנאַל פֿאַר איך פֿרײלעך צו זײַן?] אױס.
SUPPOSE something good happens. I · E1[+10;SELF] · happy · be. I · E1[+10;SELF] · no confusion · have about the question: QUESTION [is it rational for me to be happy?] AUTO-CLOSE. END-SUPPOSITION.
1.31
When something terrible happens, I do not flee my sadness by searching for fake consolations and false silver linings.
Nem epes shreklekh geshet. Ikh ef-av=zikh fun mayn troyer nit antloyfn durkh falsh nekhomes un oysgetrakht gut zaytn tsu zukhn. Oys.
נעם עפּעס שרעקלעך געשעט. איך עף־אַװ=זיך פֿון מײַן טרױער ניט אַנטלױפֿן דורך פֿאַלש נחמות און אױסגעטראַכט גוט זײַטן צו זוכן. אױס.
SUPPOSE something terrible happens. I · E1[+10;SELF] · from my sadness · not flee by searching for false consolations and invented good aspects. END-SUPPOSITION.
1.32
I visualize the past and future of humankind, the tens of billions of deaths over our history, the misery and fear, the search for answers, the trembling hands reaching upward out of so much blood, what we could become someday when we make the stars our cities, all that darkness and all that light—I know that I can never truly understand it, and I haven’t the words to say.
Ikh ef-av=zikh zikh dos farbaygegangen un dos tsukunft fun dos mentshheyt forshteln: etlekh tsen milyard toytfaln in undzer geshikhte; dos elend un dos moyre; dos zukh nokh entfers; dos tsiterndik hent, fun azoy fil blut aroyfgeshtrekt; tsit [vos mir eyn tog kenen vern, ven mir makhn dos shtern tsu undzer shtet] oys; dos gants finsternish un dos gants likht. Ikh ef-av=zikh es keynmol emesdik nit farshteyn kenen; ikh ef-av=zikh dos verter tsu dos oysdruk nit hobn.
איך עף־אַװ=זיך זיך דאָס פֿאַרבײַגעגאַנגען און דאָס צוקונפֿט פֿון דאָס מענטשהײט פֿאָרשטעלן: עטלעך צען מיליאַרד טױטפֿאַלן אין אונדזער געשיכטע; דאָס עלנט און דאָס מורא; דאָס זוך נאָך ענטפֿערס; דאָס ציטערנדיק הענט, פֿון אַזױ פֿיל בלוט אַרױפֿגעשטרעקט; ציט [װאָס מיר אײן טאָג קענען װערן, װען מיר מאַכן דאָס שטערן צו אונדזער שטעט] אױס; דאָס גאַנץ פֿינצטערניש און דאָס גאַנץ ליכט. איך עף־אַװ=זיך עס קײנמאָל אמתדיק ניט פֿאַרשטײן קענען; איך עף־אַװ=זיך דאָס װערטער צו דאָס אױסדרוק ניט האָבן.
I · E1[+10;SELF] · imagine the past and future of humankind: several ten billion deaths in our history; misery and fear; the search for answers; trembling hands, reaching upward out of so much blood; DISPLAY [what we can become one day, when we make the stars into our cities] END; all the darkness and all the light. I · E1[+10;SELF] · it · never truly · not · understand · be-able; I · E1[+10;SELF] · the words for expressing it · not have.
1.33
Despite all my philosophy I am still embarrassed to confess strong emotions, and you’re probably uncomfortable hearing them.
Trots mayn gants filozofye ef-av=zikh ikh zikh nokh shemen shtark gefiln tsu zayn moyde; du efst-oy-tsve=pon zikh nit bakvem filn bay dos hern vegn zey.
טראָץ מײַן גאַנץ פֿילאָסאָפֿיע עף־אַװ=זיך איך זיך נאָך שעמען שטאַרק געפֿילן צו זײַן מודה; דו עפֿסט־אױ־צװע=פּאָן זיך ניט באַקװעם פֿילן בײַ דאָס הערן װעגן זײ.
Despite all my philosophy · E1[+10;SELF] · I · still · feel embarrassed to acknowledge strong feelings; you · E2[+2;INF] · feel uncomfortable when hearing about them.
1.34
But I know, now, that it is rational to feel.
Ober itst ef-av=zikh ikh visn, az filn ef-av=pon ratsyonal zayn.
אָבער איצט עף־אַװ=זיך איך װיסן, אַז פֿילן עף־אַװ=פּאָן ראַציאָנאַל זײַן.
But now · E1[+10;SELF] · I · know, that feeling · E3[+10;INF] · rational · be.