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# Notes on Actually Trying
These ideas came out of a recent discussion on actually trying at Citadel, Boston's Less Wrong house.
What does "Actually Trying" mean?
---------------------------------
Actually Trying means applying the combination of effort and optimization power needed to accomplish a difficult but fea... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/HxXb8ogQSLDwnL7xh/notes-on-actually-trying |
# The Temptation to Bubble
"Never discuss religion or politics."
I was raised in a large family of fundamentalist Christians. Growing up in my house, where discussing politics and religion were the main course of life, the above proverb was said often -- as an expression of regret, shock, or self-flagellation. Later... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/7dBkiXEXAW8aPqY4g/the-temptation-to-bubble |
# Happy Petrov Day
It is Petrov Day again, partially thanks to Stanislaw Petrov.
> "Today is September 26th, Petrov Day, celebrated to honor the deed of Stanislav Yevgrafovich Petrov on September 26th, 1983. Wherever you are, whatever you're doing, take a minute to not destroy the world."
http://lesswrong.com/lw/jq... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/T5AJNqQnws5SimoLa/happy-petrov-day-0 |
# Find someone to talk to thread
Many LessWrong users are depressed. On [the most recent survey](/lw/lhg/2014_survey_results/), 18.2% of respondents had been formally diagnosed with depression, and a further 25.5% self-diagnosed with depression. That adds up to nearly half of the LessWrong userbase.
One common treatm... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/yFEZZvm6R8oF7Fy7F/find-someone-to-talk-to-thread |
# Choose without suffering
Imagine Eve, who works a service industry job. Her manager tells her, at the last minute and without warning, that she has to staff an event tomorrow in a town a few hour's drive from where she lives, and she has to wake up at 5am to get there on time.
Let's further suppose that she's on sh... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/7mTFJ65CuhjiWz8tv/choose-without-suffering |
# Quantilizers maximize expected utility subject to a conservative cost constraint
Summary: this post reframes ideas from ["Learning a concept using only positive examples"](http://forum.intelligence.org/item?id=223) and ["The AI, the best human advisor"](http://agentfoundations.org/item?id=361) in terms of a stro... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/5bd75cc58225bf0670375029/quantilizers-maximize-expected-utility-subject-to-a-conservative-cost-constraint |
# Dry Ice Cryonics- Preliminary Thoughts
_Edited nearly a year later to clarify: dry ice cryonics probably won't work, for reasons hinted at in the post, and stated by Gav in the comments, regarding nanoscale ice crystals. It seems like there may be less of a tradeoff between fracturing and having ice crystals now tha... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/X5pu4btz3CP8HqNdu/dry-ice-cryonics-preliminary-thoughts |
# Examples of growth mindset or practice in fiction
As people who care about rationality and winning, it's pretty important to care about training. Repeated practice is how humans acquire skills, and skills are what we use for winning.
Unfortunately, it's sometimes hard to get System 1 fully on board with the fact th... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/Qc8xArj5b7GD6gFXr/examples-of-growth-mindset-or-practice-in-fiction |
# Ultimatums in the Territory
When you think of "ultimatums", what comes to mind?
Manipulativeness, maybe? Ultimatums are typically considered a negotiation tactic, and not a very pleasant one.
But there's a different thing that can happen, where an ultimatum is made, but where articulating it isn't a speech act but... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/ozY5L6B56txxdQYbT/ultimatums-in-the-territory |
# Five Worlds Collide 2015 - unconference in Vienna
Welcome to Five Worlds Collide, the (un)conference for effective altruism, quantified self, rationality/scientific thinking, transhumanism and artificial intelligence.
Based on some feedback I heard about the EA Global events where people said they want to have more... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/TamzBcEHSamc9hX4M/five-worlds-collide-2015-unconference-in-vienna |
# Two Growth Curves
Sometimes, it helps to take a model that part of you already believes, and to make a visual image of your model so that more of you can see it.
One of my all-time favorite examples of this:
I used to often hesitate to ask dumb questions, to publicly try skills I was likely to be bad at, or to vi... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/khmf32Due7ttuZN4N/two-growth-curves |
# Digital Immortality Map: How to collect enough information about yourself for future resurrection by AI
If someone has died it doesn’t mean that you should stop trying to return him to life. There is one clear thing that you should do (after cryonics): collect as much information about the person as possible, as wel... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/PPpLCjKHHryXHzJtj/digital-immortality-map-how-to-collect-enough-information |
# Experiment: Changing minds vs. preaching to the choir
**1\. Problem**
In the market economy production is driven by monetary incentives – higher reward for an economic activity makes more people willing to engage in it. Internet forums follow the same principle but with a different currency - instead of money the ... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/PqiTRvkjtGirx6nkR/experiment-changing-minds-vs-preaching-to-the-choir |
# Rationality Cardinality
[Rationality Cardinality](http://rationalitycardinality.com/) is a card game which takes memes and concepts from the rationality/Less Wrong sphere, and mixes them with jokes to make a game. After nearly two years of card-creation, playtesting and development, today, I'm taking the "beta" labe... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/Yydnu4irMXtYxJpP7/rationality-cardinality |
# Deliberate Grad School
Among my friends interested in rationality, effective altruism, and existential risk reduction, I often hear: "If you want to have a real positive impact on the world, grad school is a waste of time. It's better to use [deliberate practice](http://expertenough.com/1423/deliberate-practice) to ... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/47Sr9Gp74g9PB7YYd/deliberate-grad-school |
# Detach the grim-o-meter
I'm betting that the [last](http://mindingourway.com/being-unable-to-despair/) [three](http://mindingourway.com/see-the-dark-world/) [posts](http://mindingourway.com/choose-without-suffering/) have given many readers an incorrect impression about my demeanor. It's easy to read those posts and... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/jbizoDfWhqjdjhzct/detach-the-grim-o-meter |
# How could one (and should one) convert someone from pseudoscience?
I've known for a long time that some people who are very close to me are somewhat inclined to believe the pseudoscience world, but it always seemed pretty benign. In their everyday lives they're pretty normal people and don't do any crazy things, so ... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/hYvB63jafNbWdBv6H/how-could-one-and-should-one-convert-someone-from |
# A few misconceptions surrounding Roko's basilisk
There's a new [LWW page](http://wiki.lesswrong.com/wiki/Roko's%20basilisk) on the Roko's basilisk thought experiment, discussing both Roko's original post and the fallout that came out of Eliezer Yudkowsky banning the topic on _Less Wrong_ discussion threads. The wiki... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/WBJZoeJypcNRmsdHx/a-few-misconceptions-surrounding-roko-s-basilisk |
# Aumann Agreement Game
I've written up a [rationality game](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1gCKURs0Xdnb8PQS54rckS4CJUp8kCklKs2KKi7xDZdA/edit?usp=sharing) which we played several times at our local LW chapter and had a lot of fun with. The idea is to put Aumann's agreement theorem into practice as a multi-player c... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/nmwog5hGidZniDDpR/aumann-agreement-game |
# Simply locate yourself
Imagine I offer you the following bet: I'll roll a fair ten-sided die. If it comes up 1-9, you win a million dollars. If it comes up 0, you lose $10,000. (If you're significantly richer or poorer than the median person, adjust the numbers up or down accordingly, such that winning is very great... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/7jp9iSywDj4D8epJi/simply-locate-yourself |
# Simulations Map: what is the most probable type of the simulation in which we live?
There is a chance that we may be living in a computer simulation created by an AI or a future super-civilization. The goal of the simulations map is to depict an overview of all possible simulations. It will help us to estimate the d... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/SND9jHAmCPFLnR2xC/simulations-map-what-is-the-most-probable-type-of-the |
# [Link] Max Tegmark and Nick Bostrom Speak About AI Risk at UN International Security Event
[http://webtv.un.org/watch/chemical-biological-radiological-and-nuclear-cbrn-national-action-plans-rising-to-the-challenges-of-international-security-and-the-emergence-of-artificial-intelligence/4542739995001](http://webtv.un.... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/B5E7L43JphggCMg25/link-max-tegmark-and-nick-bostrom-speak-about-ai-risk-at-un |
# Vegetarianism Ideological Turing Test Results
[Back in August I ran a Caplan Test](/r/discussion/lw/mlh/vegetarianism_ideological_turing_test/) (or more commonly an "Ideological Turing Test") both on Less Wrong and in my local rationality meetup. The topic was diet, specifically: Vegetarian or Omnivore?
If you're n... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/xirQ3EKWoKrcmqcoH/vegetarianism-ideological-turing-test-results |
# A very long list of sleep maintenance suggestions
Leading up to this year's Australia megameetup, in the interest of improving people's lives in the most valuable way possible, I was hoping to include a session on sleep, sleep quality and sleep maintenance. With that in mind I put together _A very long list of slee... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/9JFMhW9YHoTKbQEY2/a-very-long-list-of-sleep-maintenance-suggestions |
# It Was You Who Made My Blue Eyes Blue
*\[Content note: suicide\]*
**Day Zero**
It all started with an ignorant white guy.
His name was Alonzo de Pinzon, and he’d been shipwrecked. We heard him yelling for help on the rocks and dragged him in, even though the storm was starting to get really bad. He said that his ... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/qaHHJ3kkCQS4nsoGJ/it-was-you-who-made-my-blue-eyes-blue |
# A first look at the hard problem of corrigibility
Summary: We would like to build [corrigible AIs](https://intelligence.org/files/Corrigibility.pdf), which do not prevent us from shutting them down or changing their
utility function. While there are some corrigibility solutions (such as utility indifference) t... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/5bd75cc58225bf0670375041/a-first-look-at-the-hard-problem-of-corrigibility |
# A Map of Currently Available Life Extension Methods
**Extremely large payoff from life extension**
We live in special period of time when radical life extension is not far. We just need to survive until the moment when all the necessary technologies will be created.
The positive scenario suggests it could happen ... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/ZropyzY7mwJGWzFhc/a-map-of-currently-available-life-extension-methods |
# Survey Article: How do I become a more interesting person?
This post surveys a number of different sources and opinions on how to be a more interesting person. This isn’t merely about improving yourself socially or making your interactions more enjoyable, but also about achieving your full potential as a human being... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/mTuZbbXsHXJCLDaZy/survey-article-how-do-i-become-a-more-interesting-person |
# Life Advice Repository
Looking thru the [Repository Repository](/lw/i64/repository_repository/) I can't find a nice category for a lot of real life or self help advice that has been posted here over time. Sure some belongs to the [Boring Advice Repository](/lw/gx5/boring_advice_repository/ ) but the following you su... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/fkQMTi9TzqG4zgiMz/life-advice-repository |
# Have no excuses
> *Except in a very few \[tennis\] matches, usually with world-class performers, there is a point in every match (and in some cases it's right at the beginning) when the loser decides he's going to lose. And after that, everything he does will be aimed at providing an explanation of why he will have ... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/zhEmiCBoHNGxCtXsc/have-no-excuses |
# The trouble with Bayes (draft)
**Prerequisites**
This post requires some knowledge of Bayesian and Frequentist statistics, as well as probability. It is intended to explain one of the more advanced concepts in statistical theory--Bayesian non-consistency--to non-statisticians, and although the level required is muc... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/xdh5FPMYYGGX7PBKj/the-trouble-with-bayes-draft |
# The mystery of Brahms
I'm interested in how people form valuations of the opinions of others. One domain to study is art. We have a long historic record of how the elite arbiters of taste have decided what artists and what artworks were great.
This is more relevant to 21st century American thought than many of you ... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/G426G5WZs8FYDGN44/the-mystery-of-brahms |
# ClearerThinking's Fact-Checking 2.0
_Cross-posted from [Huffington Post](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/stefan-schubert/clearerthinkings-fact-che_b_8338472.html). See also [The End of Bullshit at the Hands of Critical Rationalism](/lw/kb8/the_end_of_bullshit_at_the_hands_of_critical/)._**
Debating season is in f... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/k54agm83CLt3Sb85t/clearerthinking-s-fact-checking-2-0 |
# Superintelligence and wireheading
_A putative new idea for AI control; index [here](https://agentfoundations.org/item?id=601)._
tl;dr: Even utility-based agents may wirehead if sub-pieces of the algorithm develop greatly improved capabilities, rather than the agent as a whole.
Please let me know if I'm treading on... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/pjrQSybxRFHfgMGa8/superintelligence-and-wireheading |
# The Triumph of Humanity Chart
_Cross-posted from my blog [here](https://effectivereaction.wordpress.com/2015/10/22/the-triumph-of-humanity-chart/)._
One of the greatest successes of mankind over the last few centuries has been the enormous amount of wealth that has been created. Once upon a time virtually everyone ... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/Wu2JmtTw9sXT2T8BR/the-triumph-of-humanity-chart |
# Come to your terms
Once, a friend of mine decided to make a drastic career change by teaching themselves a bunch of new skills from scratch, (with occasional assistance from me). They ran into occasional difficulties along the way, one of them being that they could not consider the possibility of failure without fee... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/L5ighGWYwJv6Jyr6G/come-to-your-terms |
# Proposal for increasing instrumental rationality value of the LessWrong community
There were some concerns here (http://lesswrong.com/lw/2po/selfimprovement\_or\_shiny\_distraction\_why_less/) regarding value of LessWrong community from the perspective of instrumental rationality.
In the discussion on the relevant... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/n8NsM28tdvXCYsXJx/proposal-for-increasing-instrumental-rationality-value-of |
# Transmute guilt into resolve
A friend of mine came to me and said that he cares about his immediate friends, and he cares about humanity in the abstract, but he has trouble caring for most people. They seemed too shallow, too bitter, too spiteful to be worth an effort.
He'd been a sixth grade teacher, so I asked, "... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/zxTGg5AbGSNqkXHxH/transmute-guilt-into-resolve |
# [link] New essay summarizing some of my latest thoughts on AI safety
New essay summarizing some of my latest thoughts on AI safety, ~3500 words. I explain why I think that some of the thought experiments that have previously been used to illustrate the dangers of AI are flawed and should be used very cautiously, why... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/4G9PCYcfw23kWTdso/link-new-essay-summarizing-some-of-my-latest-thoughts-on-ai |
# Recent updates to gwern.net (2014-2015)
> Previously: [2011](/lw/8kv/recent_updates_to_gwernnet/); [2012-2013](/lw/h0b/recent_updates_to_gwernnet_20122013/); [2013-2014](/lw/kgt/recent_updates_to_gwernnet_20132014/)
“Receive my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold. / For wisdom is bett... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/k8MbznqBxtZS6vpPH/recent-updates-to-gwern-net-2014-2015 |
# Solstice 2015: What Memes May Come? (Part I)
_Winter is coming, and so is Solstice season. There'll be large rationality-centric-or-adjaecent events in [NYC](https://www.facebook.com/events/716220641812586/), the [Bay Area](https://www.facebook.com/events/140788886275569/), and [Seattle](https://www.facebook.com/eve... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/xybar9puYmmW7wsxK/solstice-2015-what-memes-may-come-part-i |
# Newcomb, Bostrom, Calvin: Credence and the strange path to a finite afterlife
This is a bit rough, but I think that it is an interesting and potentially compelling idea. To keep this short, and accordingly increase the number of eyes over it, I have only sketched the bare bones of the idea.
1) Empirically, pe... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/4RBnbSgAZmvpPHxfE/newcomb-bostrom-calvin-credence-and-the-strange-path-to-a |
# Superrationality in arbitrary games
$$\newcommand{\Words}{{\{ 0, 1 \}^*}}$$
$$\newcommand{\WordsLen}[1]{{\{ 0, 1 \}^{#1}}}$$
$$\newcommand{\WordsUpToLen}[1]{{\{ 0, 1 \}^{\leq{#1}}}}$$
$$\DeclareMathOperator{\Supp}{supp}$$
$$\DeclareMathOperator{\Stab}{stab}$$
$$\DeclareMathOperator{\Img}{Im}$$
$$\DeclareMath... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/5bd75cc58225bf0670375058/superrationality-in-arbitrary-games |
# Rationality Merchandise - First Set
As part of my [broader project](http://wiki.lesswrong.com/wiki/Intentional_Insights) of promoting rationality to a wide audience, we developed clothing with rationality-themed slogans. This apparel is suited for aspiring rationalists to wear to show their affiliation with rational... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/Sjj6NaA5c5nbvkqW6/rationality-merchandise-first-set |
# Solstice 2015: What Memes May Come (Part II - Atheism, Rationality and Death)
_Winter is coming, and so is Solstice season. There'll be large rationality-centric-or-adjaecent events in [NYC](https://www.facebook.com/events/716220641812586/), the [Bay Area](https://www.facebook.com/events/140788886275569/), and [Seat... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/8cwFxLmmWhmKQhe9Q/solstice-2015-what-memes-may-come-part-ii-atheism |
# Less Wrong Study Hall: Now With 100% Less Tinychat
Eight months ago, I [announced](/lw/lqz/announcing_the_complice_less_wrong_study_hall/) that the Less Wrong Study Hall, a virtual coworking space where people do pomodoros together, has moved to Complice. Complice is a software system I made to help people achieve t... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/mjZ4LX3us2hGhc47W/less-wrong-study-hall-now-with-100-less-tinychat |
# The best you can
In fiction, protagonists narrow their focus until the difference between success and failure on their specific task seems like the difference between victory and defeat. Batman attempts to solve the mystery while ensuring that nobody dies; meanwhile, children in Africa suffer from Malaria. The crew ... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/N5oXNbmtYG3kC2XJr/the-best-you-can |
# Post-doctoral Fellowships at METRICS
The Meta-Research Innovation Center at Stanford (METRICS) is hiring post-docs for 2016/2017. The full announcement is available at [http://metrics.stanford.edu/education/postdoctoral-fellowships](http://metrics.stanford.edu/education/postdoctoral-fellowships). Feel free to contac... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/j9w2GAe6pKsSvWz7x/post-doctoral-fellowships-at-metrics |
# [Link] Lifehack Article Promoting LessWrong, Rationality Dojo, and Rationality: From AI to Zombies
Nice to get this [list-style article](http://www.lifehack.org/330221/6-science-based-hacks-for-growing-mentally-stronger) promoting LessWrong, [Rationality Dojo](http://rationality-dojo.com/), and Rationality: From AI ... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/FCFscPGxmH39Cat9k/link-lifehack-article-promoting-lesswrong-rationality-dojo |
# A limit-computable, self-reflective distribution
$$\newcommand{\ts}{\times}$$
$$\newcommand{\sbs}{\subset}$$
$$\newcommand{\sbse}{\subseteq}$$
$$\newcommand{\sbsne}{\subsetneq}$$
$$\newcommand{\sps}{\supset}$$
$$\newcommand{\spse}{\supseteq}$$
$$\newcommand{\spsne}{\supsetneq}$$
$$\newcommand{\proves}{\vdash}$$
$$\... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/5bd75cc58225bf0670375060/a-limit-computable-self-reflective-distribution |
# Dark, not colorless
The last arc of posts has been about how to handle a dour universe. [Become unable to despair](http://mindingourway.com/being-unable-to-despair/), learn to [see the darkness](http://mindingourway.com/see-the-dark-world/) rather than flinching from it, learn to [choose between bad and worse withou... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/YSGRdB5aD6xEMcWzQ/dark-not-colorless |
# Future of Life Institute is hiring
I am a co-founder of the [Future of Life Institute](http://futureoflife.org) based in Boston, and we are looking to fill two job openings that some LessWrongers might be interested in. We are a mostly volunteer-run organization working to reduce catastrophic and existential risks, ... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/ZcKKESJSTX4xyYAcc/future-of-life-institute-is-hiring |
# Bay Area Solstice 2015
The winter solstice marks the darkest day of the year, a time to reflect on the past, present, and future. For several years and in many cities, Rationalists, Humanists, and Transhumanists have celebrated the solstice as a community, forming bonds... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/JvwupbETo9m3AajBo/bay-area-solstice-2015 |
# Non-communicable Evidence
In [this video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_EANG8ZZbRs), Douglas Crockford (JavaScript MASTER) says:
> So I think programming would not be possible without System I; without the gut. Now, I have absolutely no evidence to support that statement, but my gut tells me it's true, so I beli... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/fFtjGxsH6Y8sbf5co/non-communicable-evidence |
# Reflective oracles and superationality
_This grew out of an exchange with Jessica Taylor during MIRI’s recent visit to the FHI._ Still getting my feel for the fixed point approach; let me know of any errors.
People at MIRI have recently proved you can use [reflective oracles](https://intelligence.org/2015/04/28/new... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/cQtvSK8eeRrYnsLFy/reflective-oracles-and-superationality |
# Marketing Rationality
What is your opinion on rationality-promoting articles by [Gleb Tsipursky](/user/Gleb_Tsipursky/) / [Intentional Insights](http://intentionalinsights.org/)? Here is what I think:
Trying to teach someone to think rationally is a [long](https://wiki.lesswrong.com/wiki/Inferential_distance) proce... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/C2qFepYFLorF3WBDW/marketing-rationality |
# The Market for Lemons: Quality Uncertainty on Less Wrong
**Tl;dr:** Articles on LW are, if unchecked (for now by you), heavily distorting a useful view (yours) on what matters.
\[This is (though in part only) a five-year update to Patrissimo’s article [Self-Improvement or Shiny Distraction: Why Less Wrong is anti-I... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/2Pvvh3KWQqtC7hwnc/the-market-for-lemons-quality-uncertainty-on-less-wrong |
# Systems Theory Terms
Below are some notes that I took while trying to understanding what exactly Systems theory is all about.
**System**
There is no universally agreed upon definition of ‘system’, but in general systems are seen as at least two elements that are interconnected. It is also common for systems to be ... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/DshBToGnNbTBD7BSw/systems-theory-terms |
# Stop trying to try and try
Imagine a graduate student of mathematics as they interact with a professor, attempting to understand something in the professor's area of expertise. They're working hard to wrap their head around the basic formalism. They're in "learning mode" — they're a student in the presence of a mast... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/2rXiZFCxBcJzM9TMp/stop-trying-to-try-and-try |
# Audio version of Rationality: From AI to Zombies out of beta
All three volumes of the ebook _Rationality: From AI to Zombies_ are complete and available for purchase on [Castify](http://castify.co/channels). A big thanks to the narrator George Thomas. The total recording time is over 51 hours.
Five math-heavy ess... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/ufGGbPGSxmw3p5ta9/audio-version-of-rationality-from-ai-to-zombies-out-of-beta |
# The Growth of My Pessimism: Transhumanism, Immortalism, Effective Altruism.
_This text has many, many hyperlinks, it is useful to at least glance at frontpage of the linked material to get it. It is an expression of me thinking so it has many community jargon terms. Thank Oliver Habryka, Daniel Kokotajlo and James ... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/DoQnX3DpXShresZn5/the-growth-of-my-pessimism-transhumanism-immortalism |
# There is no try
Ok, so "try" is actually a pretty useful concept; there's a reason we have a very short word for it in the English language. Nevertheless, I have found it quite useful to occasionally spend a few weeks refusing to use the word "try" or an... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/C82z3KrtKWDTjhidv/there-is-no-try |
# Mind uploading from the outside in
Most discussion of uploading talks of uploading from the inside out: simply, a biological person undergoes a disruptive procedure which digitises their mind. The digital mind then continues the person’s timeline as a digital existence, with all that entails.
The thing that stands ... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/AWiApnx4NAnnifdEy/mind-uploading-from-the-outside-in |
# Linguistic mechanisms for less wrong cognition
I'm working on a conlang (constructed language) and would like some input from the Less Wrong community. One of the goals is to investigate the old Sapir-Whorf hypothesis regarding language affecting cognition. Does anyone here have any ideas regarding linguistic mech... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/vqbAPjjvWbmEszo6D/linguistic-mechanisms-for-less-wrong-cognition |
# Promoting rationality to a broad audience - feedback on methods
We at [Intentional Insights](https://wiki.lesswrong.com/wiki/Intentional_Insights), the nonprofit devoted to promoting rationality and effective altruism to a broad audience, are finalizing our Theory of Change (a ToC is meant to convey our goals, ass... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/ZaaoW4YZwETXmm42Z/promoting-rationality-to-a-broad-audience-feedback-on |
# Take the EA survey, help the EA movement grow and potentially win $250 to your favorite charity
This year's EA Survey is now ready to be shared! This is a survey of all EAs to learn about the movement and how it can improve. The data collected in the survey is used to help EA groups improve and grow EA. Data is also... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/4ChWK7huYNdJo8CNH/take-the-ea-survey-help-the-ea-movement-grow-and-potentially |
# New Leverhulme Centre on the Future of AI (developed at CSER with spokes led by Bostrom, Russell, Shanahan)
\[Cross-posted at EA forum\]
Hot on the heels of 80K's excellent AI risk research career profile (https://80000hours.org/career-guide/top-careers/profiles/artificial-intelligence-risk-research/), we're deligh... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/xzGXauEJRuDjgyaNX/new-leverhulme-centre-on-the-future-of-ai-developed-at-cser |
# Making My Peace with Belief
I grew up in an atheistic household.
Almost needless to say, I was relatively hostile towards religion for most of my early life. A few things changed that.
First, the apology of a pastor. A friend of mine was proselytizing at me, and apparently discussed it with his pastor; the pasto... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/G7uMJgEMdJvgfzHb4/making-my-peace-with-belief |
# Starting University Advice Repository
I know quite a few (12+) rationalists and [CFAR](http://rationality.org/) graduates who are entering University soon or have just recently started University.
There was a lot of advice I wish I had been given or heard before I entered University and I think having a good re... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/yWXrFMQDFwQQzAzJ3/starting-university-advice-repository |
# Strict Dominance for the Modified Demski Prior
I previously noted that [difficulties with the modified Demski prior](https://agentfoundations.org/item?id=437) were [less than previously thought](https://agentfoundations.org/item?id=509): I was failing to distinguish between the [two different kinds of update](https:... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/5bd75cc58225bf067037507a/strict-dominance-for-the-modified-demski-prior |
# My research priorities for AI control
I've been thinking about what research projects I should work on, and [I've posted my current view](https://medium.com/ai-control/research-directions-in-ai-control-ef6f666d2062). Naturally, I think these are also good projects for other people to work on as well.
Brief summari... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/heoW5kjnFNaDzXefm/my-research-priorities-for-ai-control |
# Obvious advice
This is a common scene at the MIRI offices: I have a decision to make, like [what sort of winter fundraiser to run](https://intelligence.org/2015/12/01/miri-2015-winter-fundraiser/). Before making any choices, I take a few minutes to write down all the obvious things to do before making the decision: ... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/vYzLuRndnMACHM9HZ/obvious-advice |
# LessWrong 2.0
Alternate titles: [What Comes Next?](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pLaCCgqJ07Y), [LessWrong is Dead, Long Live LessWrong!](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_king_is_dead,_long_live_the_king!)
You've seen the articles and comments about the decline of LessWrong. **Why pay attention to this one?** Bec... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/givHhuPu6G43g8kWN/lesswrong-2-0 |
# Why startup founders have mood swings (and why they may have uses)
(This post was collaboratively written together with Duncan Sabien.)
Startup founders stereotypically experience some pretty serious mood swings. One day, their product seems destined to be bigger than Google, and the next, it’s a mess of incoheren... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/Z4dB5snMWf7sSm5oF/why-startup-founders-have-mood-swings-and-why-they-may-have |
# MIRI's 2015 Winter Fundraiser!
MIRI's Winter Fundraising Drive has begun! Our current progress, updated live:
[](http://intelligence.org/donate/#donation-methods)
**[Donate Now](http://intelligence.org/donate/#donation-methods)**
Lik... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/P5mgoM6DQkMueijZJ/miri-s-2015-winter-fundraiser |
# List of techniques to help you remember names
Name are very important. Everyone has one; everyone likes to know when you know their name. Everyone knows them to be a part of social interaction. You can't avoid names (well you can, but it gets tricky). In becoming more awesome at names, here is a bunch of suggestions... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/KidKBxR9rgbwA3xdu/list-of-techniques-to-help-you-remember-names |
# [Link] Introducing OpenAI
From their site:
[OpenAI](https://openai.com/) is a non-profit artificial intelligence research company. Our goal is to advance digital intelligence in the way that is most likely to benefit humanity as a whole, unconstrained by a need to generate financial return.
The money quote is ... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/69sjGNXzRCG7Qx7Kd/link-introducing-openai |
# Results of a One-Year Longitudinal Study of CFAR Alumni
_By Dan from [CFAR](http://rationality.org)_
Introduction
============
When someone comes to a CFAR workshop, and then goes back home, what is different for them one year later? What changes are there to their life, to how they think, to how they act?
CF... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/h9qckxLH2me53DHPG/results-of-a-one-year-longitudinal-study-of-cfar-alumni |
# State of the Solstice (NY Event Upcoming)
> Every year people mock the [Rationalist Solstice Ritual](http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/244974495/brighter-than-today-a-secular-solstice). And every year I read the discussions, nod, and then go to New York and have a great time and meet amazing people and have fascin... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/MyF6ZwFk7HSwetzkh/state-of-the-solstice-ny-event-upcoming |
# Effective Giving vs. Effective Altruism
_This is mainly of interest to Effective Altruists, and was cross-posted on the EA forum_
Why separate effective giving from Effective Altruism? Isn't the whole point of EA about effective giving, meaning giving to the most impactful charities to advance human flourishing? Su... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/PLgTv7KEPQv9FBvhF/effective-giving-vs-effective-altruism |
# The art of grieving well
*\[This is one post I've written in an upcoming sequence on what I call "yin". Yin, in short, is the sub-art of giving perception of truth absolutely no resistance as it updates your implicit world-model. Said differently, it's the sub-art of subconsciously seeking out and eliminating* [*ugh... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/PHnMDhfiadQt6Gj23/the-art-of-grieving-well |
# European Community Weekend 2016
We are happy to announce the LessWrong Community Weekend 2016! From September 2 to September 4 awesome people from all across Europe are coming to Berlin to meet, exchange ideas, and start projects together.
The event will happen at [Jugendherberge Wannsee](http://jh-wannsee.de/) whi... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/ob7vYyA5icrvhAGDY/european-community-weekend-2016 |
# Promoting Effective Giving Using List-Style Articles
_This is mainly of interest to Effective Altruists and Cross-posted on the EA forum_
Wanted to get community feedback and optimization suggestions on promoting effective giving using list-style articles.
The purpose for list-style articles would be similar to o... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/joJCjMHNFubbQ9bwC/promoting-effective-giving-using-list-style-articles |
# Should AI Be Open?
**I.**
H.G. Wells’ 1914 sci-fi book [*The World Set Free*](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_World_Set_Free) did a pretty good job predicting nuclear weapons:
> They did not see it until the atomic bombs burst in their fumbling hands…before the last war began it was a matter of common knowledge ... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/pgGiqLQg2KWsaz5RE/should-ai-be-open |
# Announcing the Signal Data Science Intensive Training Program
**Note: **We now have a website with up to date information here: **http://signaldatascience.com/**.
* * *
_(This post is coauthored with Robert Cordwell.)_
We’re writing to announce the inaugural run of Signal Data Science’s intensive training program... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/EECFRAFLvDpagBmYj/announcing-the-signal-data-science-intensive-training |
# PSA: even if you don't usually read Main, there have been several worthwhile posts there recently
A lot of people have said that they never look at Main, only Discussion. And indeed, LW's Google Analytics stats [say](/lw/n0l/lesswrong_20/cy3b) that Main only gets one-third of the views that Discussion does.
Because... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/mitNSFeJw9dWFNqZc/psa-even-if-you-don-t-usually-read-main-there-have-been |
# A sketch of a value-learning sovereign
In the [previous post](https://agentfoundations.org/item?id=539), I discussed
three preference frameworks for goal-directed agents. In this post, I will
discuss the value-learning sovereign in more detail.
***
From the [Arbital article on genies](http://arbital.com/pag... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/5bd75cc58225bf0670375072/a-sketch-of-a-value-learning-sovereign |
# Deadly sins of software estimation
[This](http://www.ewh.ieee.org/r5/central_texas/austin_cs/presentations/2004.08.26.pdf) is so remarkably sensible I think it deserves its own article.
It's a pdf of the slides from a lecture, and should help with the planning fallacy.
A few highlights: Distinguish between targets... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/KXscdZxdkNAyJDsob/deadly-sins-of-software-estimation |
# Voiceofra is banned
I've gotten sufficient evidence from support that voiceofra has been doing retributive downvoting. I've banned them without prior notice because I'm not giving them more chances to downvote.
I'm thinking of something like not letting anyone give more than 5 downvotes/week for content which is mo... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/PjS9QNYjnYjvRXqkg/voiceofra-is-banned |
# FHI is hiring researchers!
The Future of Humanity Institute at the University of Oxford invites applications for four research positions. We seek outstanding applicants with backgrounds that could include computer science, mathematics, economics, technology policy, and/or philosophy.
The Future of Humanity Inst... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/sciD5iErk9DT54Stj/fhi-is-hiring-researchers |
# Why CFAR? The view from 2015
Follow-up to: [2013](/lw/jej/why_cfar/) and [2014](/lw/lfg/cfar_in_2014_continuing_to_climb_out_of_the/).
In this post, we:
* [Revisit CFAR’s mission, and why that mission matters today;](#mission)
* [Review our progress to date;](#progress)
* [Offer a look at our financial overv... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/MhGamLhQTGFFhLchm/why-cfar-the-view-from-2015 |
# On Cutting Wages
This post is a response to Bryan Caplan’s request that I share my experiences cutting wages. It was not fun.
While I was CEO of MetaMed, we were continuously short of revenue. We started the company thinking we would be able to sustain ourselves through sales, but those sales did not materialize. I... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/ysQiM3JZhv45SmDTW/on-cutting-wages |
# Sports
This is intended to be a pretty broad discussion of sports. I have some thoughts, but feel free to start your own threads.
* * *
tl;dr - My impression is that people here aren't very interested in sports. My impression^1^ is that most people have something to gain by both competitive and recreational sports... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/ZmvQLhCCc9Y5p8uN3/sports |
# Open Thread, Dec. 28 - Jan. 3, 2016
If it's worth saying, but not worth its own post (even in Discussion), then it goes here.
* * *
Notes for future OT posters:
1\. Please add the 'open_thread' tag.
2\. Check if there is an active Open Thread before posting a new one. (_Immediately_ before; refresh the [list-of-... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/dMJk4XFuHrecfMo2u/open-thread-dec-28-jan-3-2016 |
# Why You Should Be Public About Your Good Deeds
_(This will be mainly of interest to Effective Altruists, and is cross-posted on the [Giving What We Can](https://www.givingwhatwecan.org/post/2015/12/why-you-should-be-public-good-deeds/) blog, the [Intentional Insights](http://intentionalinsights.org/) blog, and the [... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/KoTCTwmPbEAZTyPbz/why-you-should-be-public-about-your-good-deeds |
# [LINK] The Top A.I. Breakthroughs of 2015
A great [overview article](http://futureoflife.org/2015/12/29/the-top-a-i-breakthroughs-of-2015/) on AI breakthroughs by Richard Mallah from FLI, linking to many excellent recent papers worth reading.
> Progress in artificial intelligence and machine learning has been impr... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/CnqKyRNwRffC3aNtD/link-the-top-a-i-breakthroughs-of-2015 |
# Safety engineering, target selection, and alignment theory
_This post is the latest in a series introducing the basic ideas behind MIRI's research program. To contribute, or learn more about what we've been up to recently, see the [MIRI fundraiser page](/lw/n1o/miris_2015_winter_fundraiser/). Our 2015 winter funding... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/uP87YbXrCDCw78rJF/safety-engineering-target-selection-and-alignment-theory |
# Intentional Insights and the Effective Altruism Movement – Q & A
_This post is cross-posted on the EA forum and is mainly of interest to EAs. It focuses on the engagement of Intentional Insights with the EA movement, and does not address the engagement of InIn with promoting rationality-informed strategies, which is... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/Y2mLqxE9tyxMgd9Q6/intentional-insights-and-the-effective-altruism-movement-q |
# Why CFAR's Mission?
Related to:
* [Our 2015 Fundraiser](http://rationality.org/fundraiser2015/); [Why CFAR? The view from 2015](/lw/n39/why_cfar_the_view_from_2015/); [Critch's "The 2015 x-risk ecosystem"](http://acritch.com/x-risk-2015/).
Briefly put, CFAR's mission is to improve the sanity/thinking skill o... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/bMXurpN9qj8NWZKDR/why-cfar-s-mission |
# The art of response
Imagine two different software engineers in job interviews. Both are asked for an algorithm that solves some programming puzzle, such as "identify all palindromes in a string of characters."
The first candidate, Alice, reflexively enters problem-solving mode upon hearing the problem. She pauses ... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/ZJHDDM8eWyXvMB924/the-art-of-response |
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