komponisto comments on The Correct Contrarian Cluster - Less Wrong

38 Post author: Eliezer_Yudkowsky 21 December 2009 10:01PM

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Comment author: Eliezer_Yudkowsky 22 December 2009 03:37:37AM 9 points [-]

The community currently going under the name "skeptics" usually attacks easy targets that are already unpopular with the intelligentsia, like homeopathy. Let's see what Joe Nickell thinks about many-worlds first. Shermer and Penn & Teller have failed similar tests.

EDIT: Being a skeptic is just as easy (in fact, the opposite) of being a contrarian, and the test of whether a skeptic's cognition provides bayes-fuel is whether they fail to critique contrarian theories that are correct. This deserves a post which I might or might not have time to do.

Comment author: komponisto 22 December 2009 04:42:07AM *  12 points [-]

I think Richard Dawkins passes the many-worlds test (8:36), at least if you allow for characteristic British understatement and a lack of training in physics.

Comment author: Eliezer_Yudkowsky 22 December 2009 04:44:24AM 9 points [-]

Good for him!

Actually, this considerably increases my respect for Dawkins as a general rationalist and causes me to considerably bump the probability that someone from SIAI should try contacting him. I'll forward your comment to Vassar.

Comment author: MichaelVassar 22 December 2009 06:23:47AM 5 points [-]

Already in progress.

Comment author: Furcas 23 December 2009 03:00:08AM *  3 points [-]

I'd be interested in knowing how you go about contacting and communicating with someone like Richard Dawkins, i.e. a good rationalist whose only knowledge of the Singularity probably comes from listening to one of Kurzweil's talks. Actually, I'd like to read your e-mail to him, but that may be asking too much. :)

Comment author: David_Gerard 12 May 2012 09:15:49PM 2 points [-]

So how did this work out?

Comment author: MichaelVassar 31 May 2012 04:38:37PM 3 points [-]

A couple years of 'yes' without firm commitments. Not holding my breath.