Risto_Saarelma comments on An introduction to decision theory - Less Wrong

16 [deleted] 13 August 2010 09:09AM

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Comment author: cousin_it 13 August 2010 01:55:33PM *  3 points [-]

Sorry for deleting my comment - on reflection it sounded too harsh.

Maybe it's just me, but I don't think you're promoting the greater good when you write an intuitive tutorial on a confused topic without screaming in confusion yourself. What's the hurry, anyway? Why not make some little bits perfectly clear for yourself, and write then?

Here's an example of an intuitive explanation (of an active research topic, no less) written by someone whose thinking is crystal clear: Cosma Shalizi on causal models. One document like that is worth a thousand "monad tutorials" written by Haskell newbies.

Comment author: Risto_Saarelma 13 August 2010 02:36:50PM 3 points [-]

a thousand "monad tutorials" written by Haskell newbies.

Maybe there should be a top-level post on how causal decision theory is like burritos?

Comment author: orthonormal 13 August 2010 06:33:39PM 4 points [-]

I can't believe you just wrote that. The whole burrito thing is just going to confuse people, when it's really a very straightforward topic.

Just think of decision theory as if it were cricket...

Comment author: wedrifid 14 August 2010 08:01:23AM 1 point [-]

Just think of decision theory as if it were cricket...

At least that would be a change from treating decision theory as if it were all about prison.