Talk:LessWrong/Archive16

Nothing about real life meet-ups?
Seems like a huge omission of potentially the most second most fascinating aspect of it, after the basilisk. Look for example: http://lesswrong.com/lw/g2j/ritual_2012_a_moment_of_darkness/ Dmytry (talk) 20:51, 25 December 2012 (UTC) edit: I was actually meaning to link this: http://lesswrong.com/lw/8x5/ritual_report_nyc_less_wrong_solstice_celebration/
 * It was too tricky for me to get into, really. As far as I can see, such things are not specific to LW, but rather just unusually intense examples of standard nerdery.  There's been a longstanding tradition for the amorphous male-dominated libertarian/hacker/nerd group to embrace unconventional ideas of polyamory and neo-ritualism.  I remember once reading an amusing inside account of a house full of roommates who were all obsessed with Final Fantasy, right down to constantly cosplaying specific characters all the time in the belief that the events of FF7 had happened in another dimension and were linked with their souls.--[[Image:adsig.png|25px|link=User:AD|AD]]talk 11:55, 13 January 2013 (UTC)

Hmmm. I've not heard of that in the UK, after a couple of decades of dedicated nerdery, and I've not heard of UK atheists holding quasi-religious rituals like Rationalist lent (!!!) either. Peterdjones (talk) 17:56, 18 March 2013 (UTC)

The edit logs
...make it quite clear that Yudkowsky's stooges are afraid of any legitimate criticism of their little cult. They still have yet to provide any examples of Yudkowsky's "research" apart from his incoherent speculation about AI, a topic of which he has no actual understanding. Produce a single journal article that is even remotely close to the inane garbage that he manages to churn out. In fact, I defy you to demonstrate ANY contribution that turd has made to ANYTHING. 2013-02-11T04:16:37
 * You mean the logs here, or what? Peter mqzp 04:18, 11 February 2013 (UTC)

More info about HPMOR
I think there should be more about HPMOR. Unfortunately I have nothing to add because I haven't read it. From what I understand though it's basically a rehash of the sequences in a Harry Potter setting coupled with sci-fi jargon.--Baloney Detection (talk) 16:48, 6 April 2013 (UTC)
 * You are wrong, and it is well worth reading. It's interesting.--[[Image:adsig.png|25px|link=User:AD|AD]]talk 10:08, 7 April 2013 (UTC)


 * I only seen quotes about kids discussing rape, murder, and shit. Also, this reminds me of Yudkowsky criticizing RW for not promoting many worlds and complaining that we are mocking somebody for the crime of trying to use more math, and neglects to mention he didn't do any math (unless name dropping is math). Dmytry (talk) 10:18, 7 April 2013 (UTC)

Suggestions for new sections
I would propose three new sections: The relations between LW/SIAI/MIRI and the scientific community, as well as the relations between LW/SIAI/MIRI and the skeptic community. These two could possibly be merged. The third suggestion is a list with links of various forum reactions to LW, inspired by the by DG provided science fiction forum's rather harsh reception of LW.--Baloney Detection (talk) 18:02, 6 April 2013 (UTC)

Another foray into physics
Newsflash: Enrico Fermi wrong for assigning 10% probability to chain reaction, because "They had not been demonstrated experimentally, to be sure; but they were still the default projection from what was already known." Michael Vassar made equally silly point about Fermi on one of their irrationality workshops. (Of course, no, chain reaction is not at all default projection from fission even if you know fission releases neutrons, which they also didn't know back then). Part of local trope of believing to be less wrong than physicists. Also got to love how it is immediately assumed that Fermi must have been bullshitting with 10%. Dmytry (talk) 10:39, 20 April 2013 (UTC)
 * Physics in general is a field that attracts a disproportionate amount of crackpots. What perplexes me is why respectable people like Randi and Krauss speak at summits organized by these people.--Baloney Detection (talk) 11:52, 20 April 2013 (UTC)