Let's also accept that many judgements on outcome are not only subjective but culturally biased. Assuming we both agreed on values and we were analyzing identical scenarios then you could argue that a difference in choice would boil down to differences in the effective use of reasoning
Most people disagreeing on most subjects have probably barely applied any sort of reasoning to get there.
Most pro-vaxxers have simply picked up the dominant opinion from the surrounding society -- not a bad heuristic in practice. Most anti-vaxxers have picked up an opinion from a persuasive single source and then read some other sources that back it up.
I admit I'm in the first category, I certainly vaccinate my own children, but I can't really claim that I've come to this decision after a thorough understanding of immunology, I have simply followed the path of least resistance.
You don't need a degree in immunology to be very skeptical of anti-vaxxers' claims. Reading a bit of history is enough to know what happens when vaccines don't exist.
The steelman version of antivaxxism isn't "vaccines shouldn't exist", it's "on an individual basis, the risk-reward ratio of certain vaccines is not worth it. I should personally not vaccinate myself or anyone I care about, and be a free rider on societal herd immunity"
That particular version of antivaxxism is the one I would have the most trouble refuting. It's especially troubling since if it were true then the powers that be would have every incentive to try to keep it quiet and attack anyone who suggests it.
I mean, I make the same judgement call every year for flu shots. Is it at least plausible that I would be better off overall making the same call for some other disease?
> (...) I should personally not vaccinate myself or anyone I care about, and be a free rider on societal herd immunity"
> That particular version of antivaxxism is the one I would have the most trouble refuting.
What's hard to refute? I mean, the exceptionalism argument only sticks with sociopaths who believe society exists only to serve their personal interests without having to contribute anything in return.
> it's "on an individual basis, the risk-reward ratio of certain vaccines is not worth it."
That's not really true though. The risks involved in getting a vaccine are much, much smaller than the risks involved in not getting the vaccine, especially with diseases like Covid.
