ETA: There is now a third thread, so send new comments there.
Since the first thread has exceeded 500 comments, it seems time for a new one, with Eliezer's just-posted Chapter 33 & 34 to kick things off.
From previous post:
Spoiler Warning: this thread contains unrot13'd spoilers for Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality up to the current chapter and for the original Harry Potter series. Please continue to use rot13 for spoilers to other works of fiction, or if you have insider knowledge of future chapters of Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality.
A suggestion: mention at the top of your comment which chapter you're commenting on, or what chapter you're up to, so that people can understand the context of your comment even after more chapters have been posted. This can also help people avoid reading spoilers for a new chapter before they realize that there is a new chapter.
Hi, first comment from me. I recently was linked to the fanfic, and then happened to also read some of the discussions here.
Just in case: contains comments on chapters 17 and 29.
I have a few questions, both related to the fanfic and (a bit) unrelated:
Concerning suspension of disbelief and James Randi. I was one of the readers whose suspension of disbelief was broken. Indeed, I did think until now that the virtues of a skeptic are similar - or even the same - as those of a scientist. Rather than just substituting the name of another skeptic who is less known, I would have preferred a short explanation as to why Randi wouldn't have tried his hand at the same questions Harry tries to solve. (And, in case this is a question that can't be answered in the context of the story, I would appreciate a link to some source that lists these differences. I admit that I do not wish to invest the time that would be neccessary to do a thorough search myself.).
Some of the elements mentioned in the story - like the planning fallacy and the bystander effect - interested me greatly. I followed the advice to read the sequences, but their amount is rather staggering, and their interconnectedness makes it harder to stay focused then when reading TVTropes. Could anybody give me advice on which sequences to read to a) get an introduction and b) get a deeper understanding of those parts of rationality that have to do with everyday life more than with science, like the planning fallacy for example ;)
Something actually related to the story, which I think hasn't been mentioned before (if it has, my apologies): Has anybody figured out what the secret in Lily Evans potion textbook might be? Dumbledore never actually says that he reveals the secret the book contains, just that what he says is true:
The author even outright says the book contains a terrible secret - which Dumbledore's scribbling probably doesn't qualify for:
Regarding #2, I don't think either of those examples come up particularly in any of the main sequences, though they have been posted on (try the search bar on the right). As for the sequences, they are ridiculously intimidating at first glance, but worthwhile. My recommendation is just to dive in one post at a time (Mysterious Questions to Mysterious Answers is a good starting point, with plenty of real life examples), and not let the sheer volume scare you off. Don't make it a project, just take each post as something to read on its own.