Main Page

Welcome to RationalWiki!

About RationalWiki Our purpose here at RationalWiki includes: Analyzing and refuting pseudoscience and the anti-science movement; Documenting the full range of crank ideas; Explorations of authoritarianism and fundamentalism; Analysis and criticism of how these subjects are handled in the media. We welcome contributors, and encourage those who disagree with us to register and engage in constructive dialogue. We have 8,051 articles for your enjoyment. Random featured article[What is this?] Roko's basilisk Roko's basilisk is a thought experiment about the potential risks involved in developing artificial intelligence. The premise is that an all-powerful artificial intelligence from the future could retroactively punish those who did not help bring about its existence, including those who merely knew about the possible development of such a being. It is named after the member of the rationalist community LessWrong who first publicly described it, though he did not originate it or the underlying ideas. The basilisk resembles a futurist version of Pascal's wager, in that it suggests people should weigh possible punishment versus reward and as a result accept particular singularitarian ideas or financially support their development. Despite widespread incredulity, this argument is taken quite seriously by some people, primarily some denizens of LessWrong. While neither LessWrong nor its founder Eliezer Yudkowsky advocate the basilisk as true, they do advocate almost all of the premises that add up to it. Roko's posited solution to this quandary is to buy a lottery ticket, because you'll win in some quantum branch. Participate in RationalWiki RationalWiki portal: See our guide for newcomers! A brief history of RationalWiki... Share how you found RationalWiki! For general chatter that doesn't fit anywhere else, the Saloon Bar is the place to go. Essay portal: Essays written by individual users covering a wide range of subjects. Comment on the talk pages or write your own. Debate portal: Informal debates covering political and philosophical issues. Participate freely or start your own. Writing articles: Read up on what a RationalWiki page is and our community standards. Take a look at the help pages if you're having trouble. We also keep a list of useful links. Our to do list is where we pile up ideas for articles. See if anything piques your interest!

Featured Content Need to know What Is Going On? We present regularly updated selections of the finest lunacy the Internet has to offer. Participate in the dialogue. What is going on... …in the world?(talk) "Actual" "news" from the "real world." …in the Blogosphere?(talk) Quality blog posts, editorials, videos, and social media activities that relate to RationalWiki's mission. …in the Clogosphere?(talk) Craziness from the clogged-up fringes of the Internet. …with the Elections?(talk) News about elections from around the world. …at RationalWiki?(*hic*) Our own main back-page. Portals and Articles[See more content] Science • Speed of light • Ocean • Common descent • Nobel disease • Futurism • Water fluoridation • Brain • Lenski affair • Great man theory • Face masks Logic • Argument from authority • Argumentum ad populum • Open mind • No True Scotsman • Deepity • Weasel word • Creationist escape hatch • Lewis Trilemma • God of the gaps • Bullshit Atheism • New Atheism • Antitheism • Atheophobia • Atheist Bus Campaign • Agnosticism • Misotheism • Pascal's wager • His Dark Materials • Russell's Teapot • Atheism Creationism • Behe: The Edge of Evolution, Interview • Intelligent design • Evidence against a recent creation • Flat Earth • Baraminology • Intelligent design and academic freedom • IslamicAwakening.com • Creationism • Banana argument • McLean v. Arkansas Board of Education Pseudoscience • Intelligent design • Vagina steaming • Pseudoscience • Flat Earth • Biological determinism • Pseudopsychology • Naturopathy • Climategate • Banana argument • Alternative medicine Conspiracy • Freeman on the land • Flat Earth • Desiree Jennings • Protochronism • Climategate • War on Christmas • Comet Elenin • Armenian genocide denial • HAARP • Conspiracy theory Denialism • Armenian genocide denial • Science was wrong before • Tobacco smoking • Lead • Nationalism in history textbooks • Comfort women • Denialgate • Obama citizenship denial • Denialism • 2021 U.S. coup attempt Paranormal • Ghost Hunters • Electronic voice phenomenon • Zombies • Deliverance ministry • Craig Weiler • Exorcism • Bigfoot • Steve Quayle • Unidentified flying object • Dream interpretation Politics • Robert Mugabe • Vulgar libertarianism • Wingnut welfare • Libertarian paradise • Undocumented immigration • Overton window • Universal health care • Single transferable vote • Soviet Union • Ebrahim Raisi