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Below is a simpler version. I used short words and short lines to help you read it:

Taboo Words on This Site

I follow a rule from LessWrong about “taboo words.” This rule says:

• Do not use words if we do not share a clear meaning of them.
• If someone uses a word in a vague way, ask them to restate their idea without that word.

1) “Can,” “Possible,” “Because”

• I almost never say “X happened because Y.”
• I also avoid “X is possible” or “X is impossible.”
• Saying “X happened because Y” implies that if X had not happened, then Y would not happen. But we cannot agree on how to test that.
• Often, many things lead to X. It is not just “A + B + C → Y,” but some unclear function of A, B, and C that leads to Y.
• I use “X is causally upstream of Y” or “X is causally downstream of Y,” not “X happened because Y.”
• Calling something “impossible” can mean many levels of effort or science. If it breaks the laws of physics, maybe it is truly “impossible.” But our physics could change with time.
• If nothing is impossible, then “X is possible” says nothing new. So I avoid it.

2) “Less,” “More”

• I do not say “X is less” or “X is more” by itself.
• I say “X is less than Y” or “X is more than Y.”
• Scales can be tricky, and where the midpoint lies can cause political or social debates.
• So I prefer “X is stronger than Y,” not just “X is stronger.”

3) “Should,” “Ought”

• I think the “is-ought” gap is real. I do not tell anyone which life goals they must have.
• If asked for advice, I will point out the effects of each choice. Then they can decide if those effects are good for them.
• I also try to be clear who is the one acting. I do not say “Society should do X” or “The government should do X.” I say which group or persons in society might do X.

I hope this helps you see why I use or avoid certain words. We aim for clarity when we talk!