JoshuaZ comments on Open Thread June 2010, Part 2 - Less Wrong

7 Post author: komponisto 07 June 2010 08:37AM

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Comment author: JoshuaZ 13 June 2010 08:19:37PM 1 point [-]

I would call it "pet theory syndrome." Someone comes up with a way of "explaining" things and then suddenly the whole world is seen through that particular lens rather than having a more nuanced view; nearly everything is reinterpreted. In Hanson's case, the pet theories are near/far and status.

Prediction markets also.

Is anyone worried that LW might have similar issues? If so, what would be the relevant pet theories?

Comment author: Larks 13 June 2010 08:41:32PM 2 points [-]

On a related note: suppose a community of moderately rational people had one member who was a lot more informed than them on some subject, but wrong about it. Isn't it likely they might all end up wrong together? Prediction Markets was the original subject, but it could go for a much wider range of topics: Multiple Worlds, Hansonian Medicine, Far/near, Cryonics...

Comment author: Rain 13 June 2010 08:43:23PM 3 points [-]

That's where the scientific method comes in handy, though quite a few of Hanson's posts sound like pop psychology rather than a testable hypothesis.

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