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# Making it even easier to find new comments in a thread
It occurs to me, scrolling down the [Polyhacking](/lw/79x/polyhacking/) discussion for the nth time, that for long discussions, it would be handy to have a text indicator for new comments as well as the bright green edge. That way, I could use search to find new... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/ieuNLE2JY6k7y53ox/making-it-even-easier-to-find-new-comments-in-a-thread |
# [LINK] "Academic publishers make Murdoch look like a socialist" says George Monbiot
[link](http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/aug/29/academic-publishers-murdoch-socialist)
> Who are the most ruthless capitalists in the western world? Whose monopolistic practices make Walmart look like a corner shop and R... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/tSthucwX9oFAmzyaP/link-academic-publishers-make-murdoch-look-like-a-socialist |
# Frequentist vs Bayesian breakdown: interpretation vs inference
Suppose we have two different human beings, Connor and Diane, who agree to **interpret** their subjective anticipations as probabilities, thereby commonly earning them the title "Bayesian". On a particular project or venture, they might disagree on Tric... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/mQfNymou9q5riEKrf/frequentist-vs-bayesian-breakdown-interpretation-vs |
# My intentions for my metaethics sequence
Recently a friend of mine told me that he and a few others were debating how likely it is that I've 'solved metaethics.' Others on this site have gotten the impression that I'm claiming to have made a fundamental breakthrough that I'm currently keeping a secret, and that's wh... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/bxPK3BF5ECsi7rnaA/my-intentions-for-my-metaethics-sequence |
# How likely is Peter Thiel's investment into seasteading to pay off?
Recently the relatively awesome entrepreneur invested [1.25 million USD](http://inhabitat.com/paypal-founder-invests-1-25-million-to-create-floating-micro-countries/) into this (seasteading institute website [here](http://seasteading.org/)).
It se... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/ntpZR8Tx9gMPsDmgS/how-likely-is-peter-thiel-s-investment-into-seasteading-to |
# Scientifically optimizing education: Hard problem, or solved problem? Introducing the Theory of Direct Instruction
**_Re_-edited to remove/integrate much of the added notes - Sep 5th:**
This is a long post, and it was a first attempt to simply _start_ trying to explain the whole topic, and see what kind of mistakes... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/GR9YT9fd6vYfRQZB8/scientifically-optimizing-education-hard-problem-or-solved |
# Are there better ways of identifying the most creative scientists?
_Marginal Revolution_ linked today an old 1963 essay by Isaac Asimov, who argues that a very cheap test for scientific capability in children & adolescents is to see whether they like science fiction and in particular, harder science fiction, "The Sw... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/MZ5PSWjonqnSC9Cj2/are-there-better-ways-of-identifying-the-most-creative |
# Is Rationality Teachable?
It is generally [assumed](/lw/5x8/teachable_rationality_skills/) around here that people can _learn_ to be more rational. That's the purpose of [The Sequences](http://wiki.lesswrong.com/wiki/Sequences), after all. And veteran Less Wrongers do seem (to me) vastly more rational than the avera... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/H2zKAfiSJR6WJQ8pn/is-rationality-teachable |
# Consequentialism Need Not Be Nearsighted
_**Summary:** If you object to consequentialist ethical theories because you think they endorse horrible or catastrophic decisions, then you may instead be objecting to short-sighted utility functions or poor decision theories._
**Recommended:** [Decision Theory Paradox: PD ... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/prb8raC4XGJiRWs5n/consequentialism-need-not-be-nearsighted |
# [Link] The Typical Mind Fallacy, Illustrated
If you've ever wanted a quick way to explain the [Typical Mind Fallacy](http://wiki.lesswrong.com/wiki/Typical_mind_fallacy "LW Wiki: Typical Mind Fallacy"), this [cartoon by Winston Rowntree](http://www.viruscomix.com/page553.html "Subnormality #186 - We Assume Of Others... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/ggDT45Rzq67W2SuS4/link-the-typical-mind-fallacy-illustrated |
# Gender differences in spatial reasoning appear to be nurture
_"In this study, we use a large-scale incentivized experiment with nearly 1,300 participants to show that the gender gap in spatial abilities, measured by time to solve a puzzle, disappears when we move from a patrilineal society to an adjoining matrilinea... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/k8piGeE26FrtqAj9z/gender-differences-in-spatial-reasoning-appear-to-be-nurture |
# How to hack one's self to want to want to ... hack one's self.
I was inspired by the [recent post](http://www.lesswrong.com/lw/79x/polyhacking/) discussing self-hacking for the purpose of changing a relationship perspective to achieve a goal. Despite my feeling inspired, though, I also felt like life hacking was not... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/4j8yytsPs5WruMbBx/how-to-hack-one-s-self-to-want-to-want-to-hack-one-s-self |
# July 2011 review of experimental philosophy
[Experimental philosophy](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Experimental_philosophy) is the mainstream academic field that is most directly attempting to [dissolve](/lw/of/dissolving_the_question/) (where possible) persistent philosophical problems by revealing the cognitive al... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/gDQZXwScbCdz5pKQJ/july-2011-review-of-experimental-philosophy |
# Hacking on LessWrong Just Got Easier
TrikeApps has done a great job running LessWrong and adding new features, but they could use a little help. Have you thought about improving the LessWrong website but haven't done it because you weren't sure how? Or had installation issues? Well, now is a great time to start, bec... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/SRdvYJrDNvWkpcm8F/hacking-on-lesswrong-just-got-easier |
# Make evidence charts, not review papers? [Link]
> How do you get on top of the literature associated with a controversial scientific topic? For many empirical issues, the science gives a conflicted picture. Like the role of sleep in memory consolidation, the effect of caffeine on cognitive function, or the best theo... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/tWSg3Ektv9bJ2FChs/make-evidence-charts-not-review-papers-link |
# [Link] “How to seem good at everything: Stop doing stupid shit”
Possibly interesting article on _winning_: [How to seem good at everything: Stop doing stupid shit](http://jinfiesto.posterous.com/how-to-seem-good-at-everything-stop-doing-stu)
**Summary**, as I interpreted it: In practicing a skill, focus on increasi... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/xsiX4XZGHWTjW9uwa/link-how-to-seem-good-at-everything-stop-doing-stupid-shit |
# What Direct Instruction is
A couple of days ago, prompted by [several](/r/discussion/lw/7d1/scientifically_optimizing_education_hard_problem/) [recent](/r/discussion/lw/7dt/partial_rewrite_of_the_direct_instruction_thing/) [posts](/r/discussion/lw/7eo/another_treatment_of_direct_instruction_getting/) by [Owen_Richar... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/MNSgW5j8bRvynSZHR/what-direct-instruction-is |
# The Carbohydrate Hypothesis of Obesity: A Critical Examination
[Here](http://wholehealthsource.blogspot.com/2011/08/carbohydrate-hypothesis-of-obesity.html). A number of people here are fans of Taubes' work, and so I thought they would be interested in a well-referenced criticism. Hat tip to Landsknecht. | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/t9hGWhkBGefGRLze8/the-carbohydrate-hypothesis-of-obesity-a-critical |
# Prisoner's Dilemma Tournament Results
About two weeks ago I [announced](/lw/79r/prisoners_dilemma_as_a_game_theory_laboratory/) an open competition for LessWrong readers inspired by Robert Axelrod's famous [tournaments](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evolution_of_cooperation#Axelrod.27s_Tournaments). The competitors h... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/hamma4XgeNrsvAJv5/prisoner-s-dilemma-tournament-results |
# Case Study: Reading Edge's financial filings
* [1 The problem](#the-problem)
* [2 The solution](#the-solution)
* [2.1 Which charity?](#which-charity)
* [2.1.1 The filings](#the-filings)
* [2.1.2 Overview](#overview)
* [2.1.3 Income](#income)
* [2.1.4 Expenses](#expen... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/PmrD2T6F82RkRkhQv/case-study-reading-edge-s-financial-filings |
# Free research help, editing and article downloads for LessWrong
**Update**: Please use the [most recent thread](/r/discussion/tag/help_desk/).
The [LW Public Goods Team](http://groups.google.com/group/lw-public-goods-team) wants to encourage useful research projects (as well other kinds of projects) for the LW comm... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/q3wQGNicZZQPCmJXZ/free-research-help-editing-and-article-downloads-for |
# [Question] What's your Elevator Pitch For Rationality?
You're talking with someone you like, and they ask you what you mean by rationality, or why you keep going to LessWrong meetups. Or you meet someone who might be interested in the site.
What do you say to them? If you had to explain to someone what LW-style rat... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/3dABgWRMbcrS9sKme/question-what-s-your-elevator-pitch-for-rationality |
# Journal article about politics and mindkilling
I just found a link to a paper written in 2003 by Geoffrey L. Cohen of Yale University.
"[Party over Policy: The Dominating Impact of Group Influence on Political Beliefs](https://eee.uci.edu/10s/55550/home/Cohen+2003.pdf)"
Abstract:
> Four studies demonstrated both ... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/pyP8wR28fmgeHf27o/journal-article-about-politics-and-mindkilling |
# The beginnings of a test for Rationality Quotient
In their [2011 chapter](http://web.mac.com/kstanovich/Site/Research_on_Reasoning_files/Stanovich_Handbook.pdf) for the _Cambridge Handbook of Intelligence_, Stanovich et al. review the evidence suggesting that intelligence and rationality are not the same thing and t... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/cgQcj48SRkkeoWNRy/the-beginnings-of-a-test-for-rationality-quotient |
# Is That Your True Rejection? by Eliezer Yudkowsky @ Cato Unbound
A response essay written by Eliezer Yudkowsky posted at [Cato Unbound](http://www.cato-unbound.org/) for the issue [Brain, Belief, and Politics](http://www.cato-unbound.org/september-2011-brain-belief-and-politics/):
[**Is That Your True Rejection?**]... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/5iN9ZNdx9PNDbGZzD/is-that-your-true-rejection-by-eliezer-yudkowsky-cato |
# Video: You Are Not So Smart
This is the first of two trailers for the book '[You Are Not So Smart](http://www.amazon.com/You-Are-Not-So-Smart/dp/1592406599/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1315474838&sr=8-1)', by [David McRaney](http://youarenotsosmart.com/2011/09/07/you-are-not-so-smart-the-official-movie-trailer-for-the... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/2QEr6v2jCusQvtpwA/video-you-are-not-so-smart |
# Rough calculations: Fermi and the art of guessing
**Fermi problem**
> In science, particularly in physics or engineering education, a **Fermi problem**, **Fermi question**, or **Fermi estimate** is an estimation problem designed to teach dimensional analysis, approximation, and the importance of clearly identifying... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/NQaeCQcD87xsxTkJ6/rough-calculations-fermi-and-the-art-of-guessing |
# [Link] New arm of GiveWell Research: GiveWell Labs
[Announcing GiveWell Labs](http://blog.givewell.org/2011/09/08/announcing-givewell-labs/)
> We’re now launching a new initiative within GiveWell that will not be subject to either of these constraints. We plan to invest about 25% of our research time in what we’re... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/kvuuCAo9P7kHfY95H/link-new-arm-of-givewell-research-givewell-labs |
# [Story] Rejection
Just a piece about [rejection therapy](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rejection_Therapy) I did yesterday on [the subway](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dc_metro). The language might be a bit hyperbolic, but I was kind of on-edge last night. It seemed like it might be a fun story, I want to get better a... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/v8awKCJC6xMLJtcmk/story-rejection |
# Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality discussion thread, part 9
**(The HPMOR discussion thread after this one is [here](/lw/ams/harry_potter_and_the_methods_of_rationality/).)**
The previous thread is over the 500-comment threshold, so let's start a new _[Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality](http://ww... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/WQ7XMjqvuRRj8nkpu/harry-potter-and-the-methods-of-rationality-discussion-3 |
# JSTOR gives public access to pre-1870 publications
[JSTOR](http://www.jstor.org/ "JSTOR home page") is a massive online archive of academic journals, virtually all of which were behind a subscription wall. (JSTOR's been quite arbitrary about locking up its content; some of the papers it hosts are available at no cos... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/4siPFHa8h3kqWAbLG/jstor-gives-public-access-to-pre-1870-publications |
# Living Forever is Hard, part 2: Adult Longevity
* Previous: "[Living Forever is Hard, or, The Gompertz Curve](/lw/5qm/living_forever_is_hard_or_the_gompertz_curve/)"
Following [_Fight Aging_](http://www.fightaging.org/)'s ["A Primer on Compression of Morbidity"](http://www.fightaging.org/archives/2011/09/a-primer... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/zRKW7LotZxJi6Cyeg/living-forever-is-hard-part-2-adult-longevity |
# Tool ideology
Follow-up to [J](/r/discussion/lw/7hs/journal_article_about_politics_and_mindkilling/)[ournal article about politics and mindkilling](/r/discussion/lw/7hs/journal_article_about_politics_and_mindkilling). That post showed that people can be convinced that a view is correct by being told that their poli... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/fKvzT3ERrDdkk37aJ/tool-ideology |
# Statistical error in half of neuroscience papers
[The statistical error that just keeps on coming](http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/sep/09/bad-science-research-error), Ben Goldacre, Guardian, Friday 9 September 2011 20.59 BST
We all like to laugh at quacks when they misuse basic statistics. But what if ... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/aLtMZrEzG3g5EGgxT/statistical-error-in-half-of-neuroscience-papers |
# Rational Communication
As I've probably mentioned elsewhere, I am currently studying nursing. My third year started off with a bang today: a six-hour workshop on communication skills to prepare us for our month-long psychiatric/mental health placement, scheduled for October.
The workshop would have been a lot more ... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/BNHDfoCSYF2TkLWyq/rational-communication |
# My favorite popular scientific self-help books
I've spent several years studying [scientific self-help](/lw/3nn/scientific_selfhelp_the_state_of_our_knowledge/). I'm sharing some of what I've learned in my sequence [The Science of Winning at Life](http://wiki.lesswrong.com/wiki/The_Science_of_Winning_at_Life), but I... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/8pP8xyJYEzvfdDZ2e/my-favorite-popular-scientific-self-help-books |
# Rationalist sites worth archiving?
One of my long-standing interests is in writing content that will [age gracefully](http://www.gwern.net/About#long-content), but as a child of the Internet, I am addicted to linking and linkrot is profoundly threatening to me, so another interest of mine is in archiving URLs; [my c... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/mMgiGy6i55iZbMzyx/rationalist-sites-worth-archiving |
# LessWrong and Rationality ebooks via Amazon
After just spending some time browsing [free nonficton kindle ebooks on Amazon](http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=sr_tc_sc_2_2?rh=n:157325011,p_74:0-0&sort=reviewrank_authority&pf_rd_r=06XN0ZBQCQ2XSHRC9D10&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_t=301&pf_rd_i=free%20kindle%20books&pf_rd_p=1... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/8vGmw9ffgc2LG6bXa/lesswrong-and-rationality-ebooks-via-amazon |
# [Help]: Social cost of cryonics?
Over the past few months I've been doing a lot of reading about cryonics, and though I agree with the arguments of [Eliezer Yudkowsky](/lw/wq/you_only_live_twice/) and [Robin Hanson](http://www.overcomingbias.com/2009/03/break-cryonics-down.html) on the issue, I still feel uncomfort... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/StSqRE4CmfEnJTWaP/help-social-cost-of-cryonics |
# Informal job survey
I've [recently](/lw/7fm/how_to_hack_ones_self_to_want_to_want_to_hack/) been thinking about future job prospects and ways that I might alter my preferences to increase the likelihood that I'll be happy with my future career. I have read some of the LessWrong [resources](/lw/546/what_should_i_do/)... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/b6mJp3NhtERJrAhJZ/informal-job-survey |
# Ask LW: What are some well-designed institutions?
I've been reading "Microeconomics: Behavior, Institutions, and Evolution" and it's awesome. It's inspired me to ask LW:
Can you give me an example of a good institution? Why is it a good institution? What caused it to become a good institution?
It can be an institu... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/tRCdXaXESKvPr8CuJ/ask-lw-what-are-some-well-designed-institutions |
# [Link] Dilbert author tries to try
Scott Adams, author of Dilbert, believes that [trying to try is more effective than trying](http://dilbert.com/blog/entry/systems/):
> ...my system is that I _attempt_ to exercise five times a week around lunchtime. And I always allow myself the option of driving to the gym then t... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/fhemSEN2pH4fD8YCC/link-dilbert-author-tries-to-try |
# 9/11 as mindkiller
Noah Millman [wrote](http://theamericanscene.com/2011/09/11/the-mind-killer):
> In retrospect, what suffered the most lasting damage from the terrorist attacks of ten years ago was my belief in my own rationality. I believed that I was thinking things through seriously, and coming to difficult bu... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/RhBn6D482KbtDuREW/9-11-as-mindkiller |
# My Greatest Achievement
\[warning: this is another gooey self-disclosure in the spirit of [Alicorn](/user/Alicorn/submitted/) and [lukeprog’s](/lw/7dy/a_rationalists_tale/) recent posts, except more so.\]
According to my submissions summary, my first top-level post dates back to February 18^th^, 2011\. (I don’t kno... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/RhAKGdypYAB4Q85Nk/my-greatest-achievement |
# The Cognitive Science of Rationality
(The post is written for beginners. Send the link to your friends! Regular Less Wrong readers may want to jump to the [Stanovich material](#HumanReasoning).)
The last 40 years of cognitive sc... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/xLm9mgJRPvmPGpo7Q/the-cognitive-science-of-rationality |
# Fixed-Length Selective Iterative Prisoner's Dilemma Mechanics
_**Prerequisites**: Basic knowledge of the [Prisoner's Dilemma](http://wiki.lesswrong.com/wiki/Prisoner%27s_dilemma) and the [Iterated Prisoner's Dilemma](/lw/to/the_truly_iterated_prisoners_dilemma/)._
I recently stumbled upon the [selective IPD tournam... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/9FFAqojvJodFmwzoN/fixed-length-selective-iterative-prisoner-s-dilemma |
# When work is privilege of the rich?
An acquaintance sent me a PM with a link to two interesting entries on the Halfsigma blog.
### [The future when people will play WoW for a living.](http://www.halfsigma.com/2011/09/the-future-when-people-will-play-wow-for-a-living.html)
> ...
> "As a pioneer of virtual reality... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/MLmm6Z2BPnATZsumP/when-work-is-privilege-of-the-rich |
# Rationality tip: Predict your comment karma
For the last few months I've taken up the habit of explicitly predicting how much karma I'll get for each of my contributions on LW. I picked up the habit of doing so for Main posts back in the Visiting Fellows program, but I've found that doing it for comments is way more... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/3o5hLZ479zNaJr9r7/rationality-tip-predict-your-comment-karma |
# Leveling IRL - followup
I have finally achieved [level 1](/lw/71r/leveling_irl_level_1/), so I can talk about these things again!
It seems that our concept of leveling conflated two different ideas of self-improvement that should've been kept separate. The first idea is about trying out new things, like making panc... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/YJJsEaQrGYK8fjetS/leveling-irl-followup |
# Interview with Singularity Institute Research Fellow Luke Muehlhauser
Yesterday I sat down with Lukeprog for a few hours and we produced this ten-page interview for the Singularity Institute blog. This interview contains information about the Singularity Institute's technical research program and recent staff change... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/Fnw3anHzKFxvTzh4e/interview-with-singularity-institute-research-fellow-luke |
# Which Fields Are Underserved?
I'm currently about 2/3rds through Jane Jacobs' "[The Death and Life of Great American Cities](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Death_and_Life_of_Great_American_Cities)". This is one of the defining works of modern urban planning, and Jane Jacobs is considered one of our most important ... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/WCG3P8K7N8cBKXsG5/which-fields-are-underserved |
# Case study: Folding@home
Latest in an irregular series, some of whose previous entries were [Edge.org](/lw/7gy/case_study_reading_edges_financial_filings/) and the [Girl Scouts](/lw/5el/are_girl_scout_cookies_deliciously_evil_a_case/)...
I examine the Folding@home distributed computing project with reference to the... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/RH4jK3EqsL9GaPLNW/case-study-folding-home |
# The Optimizer's Curse and How to Beat It
The best laid schemes of mice and men
Go often askew,
And leave us nothing but grief and pain,
For promised joy!
\- [Robert Burns](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/To_a_Mouse) (translated)
Consider the following question:
> A team of decision analysts has just presented ... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/5gQLrJr2yhPzMCcni/the-optimizer-s-curse-and-how-to-beat-it |
# The Ramblings of an Old Man Succumbing to Dementia
My grandfather died several years ago, before I began to seriously consider cryonics. He deteriorated markedly as he approached death. Nevertheless, he was smart enough to want to be part of the new technologies "the kids were putting out these days." At age 90, wit... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/7k4NkFyGi648pmDPt/the-ramblings-of-an-old-man-succumbing-to-dementia |
# Your inner Google
I just heard a comment by Braddock of Lovesystems that was brilliant: All that your brain does when you ask it a question is hit "search" and return the first hit it finds. So be careful how you phrase your question.
Say you just arrived at work, and realized you once again left your security pa... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/9vnWFwng8QzEnBT8z/your-inner-google |
# Moral enhancement
In offline conversations, several Less Wrongers have expressed interest in 'benevolence training'. For those who are interested, here's a head start in the research...
The technical term for this is 'moral enhancement.' The key name here is [Thomas Douglas](https://sites.google.com/site/tomdouglas... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/LJdfPn3SFEy8Ab96Z/moral-enhancement |
# Fix My Head
I've been [collecting data](/lw/5qm/living_forever_is_hard_or_the_gompertz_curve/47o0) about my headaches and diet for almost four months now. I don't see any patterns - annoyingly, I get headaches nearly every day, so there's not much information - but I thought I'd post the data set and see if anyone ... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/GefH4KTTczgTT3dGX/fix-my-head |
# [Help] Critique my Admissions Essay on HPMoR
I mentioned this last week in the open thread and yesterday decided to write it. Since a few people on the site helped me choose this topic and the content is relevant to the site, I thought it would be nice to see what everyone thinks. If a change is suggested that I ... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/KE9ETMsgXxARci6N6/help-critique-my-admissions-essay-on-hpmor |
# Atheism & the autism spectrum
["Religious Belief Systems of Persons with High Functioning Autism":
](http://csjarchive.cogsci.rpi.edu/proceedings/2011/papers/0782/paper0782.pdf)
> ABSTRACT: This paper investigates the proposal that individual differences in belief will reflect cognitive processing styles, with hi... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/RNSYDitY6688rP3Fb/atheism-and-the-autism-spectrum |
# Timeline of major Eliezer Yudkowsky publications
Below is a timeline of major Eliezer Yudkowsky publications. Note that, to my knowledge, everything on AI before 2006 is now obsolete. That's the nature of a quickly-moving field!
* [Staring into the Singularity](http://web.archive.org/web/200101250239/http://sysop... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/6zEtj3FJNQmvR3tdW/timeline-of-major-eliezer-yudkowsky-publications |
# Timeline of Carl Shulman publications
All publications I know of:
* [Which Consequentialism? Machine Ethics and Moral Divergence](http://intelligence.org/upload/machine-ethics-moral-divergence.pdf) (2009) - w/ Henrik Jonsson & Nick Tarleton
* [Machine Ethics and Superintelligence](http://intelligence.org/upload... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/4uQxZonCwCZtz39Hw/timeline-of-carl-shulman-publications |
# Decision Fatigue, Rationality, and Akrasia.
I was reading the NY Times article on [Decision Fatigue](http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/21/magazine/do-you-suffer-from-decision-fatigue.html?pagewanted=all), when I came upon a hypothesis I would like everyone's feedback on.
I take as a premise that there seems to be a hi... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/rR9Rfjpq5LoBCu7Zs/decision-fatigue-rationality-and-akrasia |
# I hate TL;DR
It's a minor annoyance but perhaps I am not the only one who feels this way.
I dislike it when we summarize our posts and articles with a "tl;dr". There's a perfectly good English word for it, namely "summary".
"tl;dr", besides being an ugly internetism, seems to me to convey a certain additional mean... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/sRB7uaJbpjmbFXtdk/i-hate-tl-dr |
# Scientist vs. philosopher on conceptual analysis
In [Less Wrong Rationality and Mainstream Philosophy](/lw/4vr/less_wrong_rationality_and_mainstream_philosophy/), [Conceptual Analysis and Moral Theory](/lw/5kn/conceptual_analysis_and_moral_theory/), and [Pluralistic Moral Reductionism](/lw/5u2/pluralistic_moral_redu... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/kYjEiWDecs6EGGQRH/scientist-vs-philosopher-on-conceptual-analysis |
# You'll be who you care about
Eliezer [wonders](/lw/19d/the_anthropic_trilemma/) about the thread of conscious experience: "I don't think that, if I were _really_ selfish, I could jump off a cliff knowing smugly that a different person would experience the consequence of hitting the ground."
Instead of wondering whe... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/fq7PSwAojXSkvNP9T/you-ll-be-who-you-care-about |
# NIH Solicitation: Basic research on decision making
The NIH recently announced a solicitation for [Basic Research on Decision Making: Cognitive, Affective, and Developmental Perspectives](http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-MH-12-130.html). This is an R01, which means you aren't going to get it unless ... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/bB2yAjMXmNNt5oJ3F/nih-solicitation-basic-research-on-decision-making |
# Knowledge is Worth Paying For
Have you ever asked a store manager if you can use their bathroom and been told that you must order something first? Even if it's _obviously_ worth $1 to not wet your pants, you feel a bit resentful about having to buy the Arizona iced tea. You're so used to using other stores' bathroom... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/Cb9JjWfrYtqjEwd8K/knowledge-is-worth-paying-for |
# Review: Michel Thomas French (Direct Instruction)
Purpose of Review
-----------------
Owen’s [recent post](/r/discussion/lw/7d1/scientifically_optimizing_education_hard_problem/) brought up the topic of optimizing education. One particular approach, Direct Instruction (Misha’s [better explanation](/r/discussion/lw/... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/FMpnREfJzbf3JSyfb/review-michel-thomas-french-direct-instruction |
# Blindsight and Consciousness
Thomas Metzinger is a philosopher who pays lots of attention to cognitive science and psychology, and likes to think about consciousness. Most of the interesting ideas that follow come from his books The Ego Tunnel and Being No One. I hope to write a series of posts summarizing some of t... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/K82imMHxwbR5FikKP/blindsight-and-consciousness |
# Machine learning and unintended consequences
In [Artificial Intelligence as a Negative and Positive Factor in Global Risk](http://intelligence.org/upload/artificial-intelligence-risk.pdf), Yudkowsky uses the following parable to illustrate the danger of using case-based learning to produce the goal systems of advanc... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/5o3CxyvZ2XKawRB5w/machine-learning-and-unintended-consequences |
# Living bias, not thinking bias
**1\. Biases, those traits which affect everyone but me**
I recently had the opportunity to run an exercise on bias and rationality with a group of (fellow) university students. I wasn't sure it was going to go down well. There's one response that always haunts me when it comes to int... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/z5jJvwoiNsDQKJL5K/living-bias-not-thinking-bias |
# Cognitive Style Tends To Predict Religious Conviction (psychcentral.com)
http://psychcentral.com/news/2011/09/21/cognitive-style-tends-to-predict-religious-conviction/29646.html
> Participants who gave intuitive answers to all three problems \[that required reflective thinking rather than intuitive\] were one and a... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/T9akLQRr2rwy8tjM3/cognitive-style-tends-to-predict-religious-conviction |
# Useful Things Volunteers Can Do Right Now
Per [Kaj's suggestion](/lw/7bn/call_for_personal_volunteers/4q3r), I'm posting my list of useful things volunteers can do _right now_. Without help, most of these things won't occur, because I need to be spending my time writing papers, promoting the [Singularity Summit](htt... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/7z9cTAp4CGgaF6qFx/useful-things-volunteers-can-do-right-now |
# Cognitive Neuroscience, Arrow's Impossibility Theorem, and Coherent Extrapolated Volition
Suppose we want to use [the convergence of humanity's preferences](http://intelligence.org/upload/CEV.html) as the utility function of a seed AI that is about to determine the future of its light cone.
We figured out how to ge... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/XwzKAeENiv9ZvQeGA/cognitive-neuroscience-arrow-s-impossibility-theorem-and |
# SIAI vs. FHI achievements, 2008-2010
After reading the [FHI achievement report for 2008-2010](http://www.fhi.ox.ac.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0019/19900/Achievements_Report_2008-2010.pdf), I thought it might be useful to compare their achievements to those of SIAI during the same time period. Since SIAI does not have... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/KB2nF3WFF5n5Pyzds/siai-vs-fhi-achievements-2008-2010 |
# What if we make better decisions when we trust our gut instincts? [Link]
> \[...\]
>
> How does one navigate a world of seemingly infinite alternatives? For thousands of years, the answer has seemed obvious: when faced with a difficult dilemma, we should carefully assess our options and spend a few moments consciou... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/ouvy68CCxg4SgQgeb/what-if-we-make-better-decisions-when-we-trust-our-gut |
# How Likely Is Cryonics To Work?
If an American signs up for cryonics and pays their ~$300/year, what are their odds of being revived? Talking to people at LessWrong meetups I've heard estimates of 1 in 2. My friend George Dahl, whose opinion I respect a lot, [guesses](https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/150004255... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/NEpZGLNMGc447ez34/how-likely-is-cryonics-to-work |
# Hard problem? Hack away at the edges.
Wei Dai [offered](/lw/1g4/tips_and_tricks_for_answering_hard_questions/) 7 tips on [how to answer really hard questions](http://wiki.lesswrong.com/wiki/Challenging_the_Difficult):
* Don't stop at the first good answer.
* Explore multiple approaches simultaneously.
* Trust... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/guRASsKLfdQ5m7LLw/hard-problem-hack-away-at-the-edges |
# Stanislav Petrov Day
A reminder for everyone: on this day in 1983, [Stanislav Petrov saved the world](/lw/jq/926_is_petrov_day/).
It occurs to me this time around that there's an interesting relationship here - 9/26 is forgotten, while 9/11 is remembered. Do something charitable, and not patriotic, sometime today. | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/79g662fdusDsXWK67/stanislav-petrov-day |
# How to incentivize people doing useful stuff on Less Wrong
Currently, LWers get +1 karma for a comment upvote, and +10 karma for a main post upvote. But clearly, there are other valuable things LWers could do for the community besides writing comments and posts. Writing isn't everyone's _forte_. Why not award karma ... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/AALWaW2WdtQu2aWJM/how-to-incentivize-people-doing-useful-stuff-on-less-wrong |
# Edward Nelson claims proof of inconsistency in Peano Arithmetic
We've discussed [Edward Nelson's beliefs and work before](/lw/3aj/exponentiation_goes_wrong_first/). Now, he claims to [have a proof of a contradiction in Peano Arithmetic](http://www.math.princeton.edu/~nelson/papers/outline.pdf); which if correct is n... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/gsvQSpeDHKXxjXwuM/edward-nelson-claims-proof-of-inconsistency-in-peano |
# Cryonic suspension where?
I want to sign up for cryonic suspension. I haven't done so yet because I haven't been able to decide which organization to use. I'm not expecting you guys to choose for me, but it would be very helpful if those of you who are signed up (or will sign up) would say which organization you wen... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/bM3fe8apCkoaHpDqG/cryonic-suspension-where |
# A Rationalist's Tale
Warning: sappy personal anecdotes ahead! See also Eliezer's [Coming of Age](http://wiki.lesswrong.com/wiki/Yudkowsky%27s_coming_of_age) story, SarahC's [Reflections on rationality a year out](/lw/50p/reflections_on_rationality_a_year_out/), and Alicorn's [Polyhacking](/lw/79x/polyhacking/).
On ... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/9WX59u7g2sdKqnjDm/a-rationalist-s-tale |
# Concepts Don't Work That Way
[](http://www.amazon.com/Philosophy-Flesh-Embodied-Challenge-Western/dp/0465056741/)Part of the sequence: [Rationality and Philosophy](http://wiki.lesswrong.com/wiki/Rationality_and_Philosophy)
_[Ph... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/wHjpCxeDeuFadG3jF/concepts-don-t-work-that-way |
# Rationality Quotes With Attributions Hidden: from Mein Kampf to Men****x
This thread has an experimental format for posting rationality quotes. Here is the format:
**For those posting quotes**:
Post the quote as usual, but not the author, original language translated from, or other information. That information is... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/wf9g8HPBRz3asG3Hh/rationality-quotes-with-attributions-hidden-from-mein-kampf |
# Quixey - startup applying LW-style rationality - hiring engineers
[](http://www.quixey.com)
[Quixey](http://www.quixey.com) is a 2-year-old startup with a lot of ties to the rationalist community. Our product is an all-platform "functional search" engine for ... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/JnLSM7zmZmd7NCbB5/quixey-startup-applying-lw-style-rationality-hiring |
# Reversed stupidity sometimes provides useful information
In his recent CATO article, [Reversed Stupidity Is Not Intelligence](http://www.cato-unbound.org/2011/09/22/eliezer-yudkowsky/reversed-stupidity-is-not-intelligence/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+cato-unbound+%28Cato+Unbound%29), E... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/w9SuQtRJLbDpeir6L/reversed-stupidity-sometimes-provides-useful-information |
# Wanted: backup plans for "seed AI turns out to be easy"
Earlier, I [argued](/lw/6mi/some_thoughts_on_singularity_strategies/) that instead of working on FAI, a better strategy is to pursue an upload or IA based Singularity. In response to this, some argue that we still need to work on FAI/CEV, because what if it tur... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/9RJSJus7jCN4a5muq/wanted-backup-plans-for-seed-ai-turns-out-to-be-easy |
# Weak supporting evidence can undermine belief
Article: [Weak supporting evidence can undermine belief in an outcome](http://news.brown.edu/pressreleases/2011/03/evidence)
> Defying logic, people given weak evidence can regard predictions supported by that evidence as less likely than if they aren’t given the eviden... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/sDsjKPcSj7CX4XWmN/weak-supporting-evidence-can-undermine-belief |
# Free Tutoring in Math/Programming
I enjoy teaching, and I'd like to do my bit for the Less Wrong community. I've tutored a few people on the #lesswrong IRC channel in freenode without causing permanent brain damage. Hence I'm extending my offer of free tutoring from #lesswrong to lesswrong.com.
I offer tutoring in ... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/hZ7hAmx88YRbXHoQw/free-tutoring-in-math-programming |
# Announcing rationalist blog aggregator
After input from many of you guys and the NYC group, I am announcing [planetrationalist.com](http://planetrationalist.com/)
There's a lot of different directions this sort of idea could go in, but I figured that this could be a good-enough first effort.
Enjoy, and let me know... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/XKhB6BDoni7SwDQLu/announcing-rationalist-blog-aggregator |
# Planets in the habitable zone, the Drake Equation, and the Great Filter
One serious issue for evaluating existential risk is working out whether most of the [Great Filter](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Filter) is behind us or in front of us. This relates to the Drake Equation and similar attempts to estimate th... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/MpFbiQGxqrwQyfw4a/planets-in-the-habitable-zone-the-drake-equation-and-the |
# Rationality Drugs
Can drugs improve your rationality?
I’m not sure, but it seems likely.
Remember [the cognitive science of rationality](/lw/7e5/the_cognitive_science_of_rationality/). Often, irrationality is a result of ‘mindware gaps’ or ‘... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/SmgMiErTGSTWm7CRW/rationality-drugs |
# Get genotyped for free ( If your IQ is high enough)
I've just watched this [talk about Genetics and Intelligence](http://www.youtube.com/user/GoogleTechTalks#p/u/26/62jZENi1ed8) by Steve Hsu**~1~**, a theoretical physicist and Scientific Advisor to the Cognitive Genomics Lab of BGI (formerly the Beijing Genomics Ins... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/DyZuewJMopqfEnQmo/get-genotyped-for-free-if-your-iq-is-high-enough |
# Don't ban chimp testing
The October 2011 Scientific American has an editorial from its board of editors called "Ban chimp testing", that says: "In our view, the time has come to end biomedical experimentation on chimpanzees... Chimps should be used only in studies of major diseases and only when there is no other o... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/jtnJcA3JmEZkuGx3y/don-t-ban-chimp-testing |
# Sweet Unconsciousness
Hello LW,
There has been some interest around here about atypical mental phenomena such as [synesthesia](/lw/7pm/blindsight_and_consciousness/4xek), [blindsight](/lw/7pm/blindsight_and_consciousness/), absence of [mental](/lw/dr/generalizing_from_one_example/281v?c=1) [images](/lw/dr/generaliz... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/QRvhgovnndSZ3SmT7/sweet-unconsciousness |
# [Funny] Even Clippy can be blamed on the use of non-Bayesian methods
From [this 2001 article](http://people.cs.ubc.ca/~murphyk/Bayes/econ.22mar01.html):
> Eric Horvitz... feels bad about \[Microsoft Office's Clippy\]... many people regard the paperclip as annoyingly over-enthusiastic, since it appears without warni... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/8Cdn7z7eM7CWs87Xm/funny-even-clippy-can-be-blamed-on-the-use-of-non-bayesian |
# Bayesian analysis under threat in British courts
This is an interesting article talking about the [use of bayes in british courts](http://www.guardian.co.uk/law/2011/oct/02/formula-justice-bayes-theorem-miscarriage) and efforts to improve how statistics are used in court cases. Probably worth keeping an eye on. It m... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/iYpcyA2JRNRQNwn3q/bayesian-analysis-under-threat-in-british-courts |
# Knox and Sollecito freed
**See:** **[You Be the Jury](/lw/1ir/you_be_the_jury_survey_on_a_current_event/), [The Amanda Knox Test](/lw/1j7/the_amanda_knox_test_how_an_hour_on_the_internet/)**
While we hear about [Bayes' Theorem being under threat in some courts](/r/discussion/lw/7x2/bayesian_analysis_under_threat_in... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/sA7MtWkdyJHFrDyce/knox-and-sollecito-freed |
# Rationality Lessons Learned from Irrational Adventures in Romance
Gooey personal details alert! See also: Alicorn's [Polyhacking](/lw/79x/polyhacking).
Years ago, my first girlfriend (let's call her 'Alice') ran into her ex-boyfriend at ... | https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/x8Fp9NMgDWbuMpizA/rationality-lessons-learned-from-irrational-adventures-in |
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