edragonu comments on Open Thread: August 2009 - Less Wrong

5 Post author: taw 01 August 2009 03:06PM

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Comment author: edragonu 02 August 2009 03:52:02PM 0 points [-]

what's focus for you? Really curious about how you define it :-)

Comment author: gwern 02 August 2009 03:55:21PM 0 points [-]

I define it practically: any mental state in which I'm able to score higher than usual playing Dual N-Back. Any more complex definition falling back on 'being able to suppress unwanted stimulus' or 'remembering in short-term or working memory that which is needed', seems too vague and begging the question for my taste.

Comment author: edragonu 02 August 2009 04:05:24PM 0 points [-]

That seems to me a definition of effectiveness, not focus.

Comment author: gwern 02 August 2009 07:05:35PM 0 points [-]

Mayhap effectiveness is focus. Two words may denote the same concept, after all. As I said, any other definition seems to be essentially 'having in one's mind only that which is wanted', which is not a definition at all. My scores on DNB are positively correlated with my subjective impressions of focus; it's good enough for me.