Clippy comments on Bayes' rule =/= Bayesian inference - Less Wrong

37 Post author: neq1 16 September 2010 06:34AM

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Comment author: Clippy 16 September 2010 08:45:10PM -2 points [-]

I asked this before (though perhaps with the wrong symbols), so I'll try it a different way.

Someone please evaluate this statement:

?equals(correct reasoning, Bayesian inference)

Comment author: Perplexed 17 September 2010 01:00:34AM 0 points [-]

There are a (pretty common) class of reasoning problems for which equals(correct reasoning, Bayesian inference) is widely believed here in LW. There are other problems and other forms of correct reasoning for which Bayesian inference is simply inapplicable.

For example, the following syllogism cannot be completed by Bayesian inference.

A. Nothing is better than total happiness.

B. A paper clip is better than nothing.

C. ???

Comment author: Seth_Goldin 19 September 2010 02:04:48PM 2 points [-]

This is a fallacious amphiboly, so it's deductively wrong. There's no need to even bring up induction here, and Bayesian inference is for induction. It's a category error to criticize that Bayesian inference doesn't apply. It would be like asking Bayesian inference to cook me dinner.

Comment author: Clippy 17 September 2010 03:26:45PM 2 points [-]

That's not a very good example, because a paperclip is, in fact, better than happiness. At least, human::happiness.

Comment author: jsalvatier 21 September 2010 03:17:35PM 1 point [-]

This is a great LW name.