Psy-Kosh comments on Open Thread: August 2009 - Less Wrong

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

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Comment author: Tom_Talbot 02 August 2009 05:41:24PM 4 points [-]

Imagine you find a magic lamp. You polish it and, as expected, a genie pops out. However, it's a special kind of genie and instead of offering you three wishes it offers to make you an expert in anything, equal to the greatest mind working in that field today, instantly and with no effort on your part. You only get to choose one subject area, with "subject area" defined as anything offered as a degree by a respectable university. Also if you try to trick the genie he'll kick you in the nads*.

So if you could learn anything, what would you learn?

*This example is in no way intended to imply that women are less worthy of the right to be attacked by genies. Neither is it intended to imply that there could never be a female genie. That would be stupid. Where else could baby genies come from?

Comment author: Psy-Kosh 03 August 2009 07:01:00AM 0 points [-]

I'd have to agree with "math", given that the ability granted includes not just comprehensive knowledge, but extreme ability to make novel important and fundamental discoveries in the field.

(How is babby genie formed? (Sorry, couldn't resist))