RobinZ comments on SUGGEST and VOTE: Posts We Want to Read on Less Wrong - Less Wrong

15 Post author: lukeprog 07 February 2011 02:51AM

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Comment author: RobinZ 08 February 2011 10:27:36PM 0 points [-]

It occurs to me that resorting to manipulative methods to teach someone methods which will improve their ability to detect said manipulations has problems entirely separate from moral concerns.

Comment author: orthonormal 12 February 2011 06:46:56AM 0 points [-]

Once you've climbed the ladder, you can discard it.

Comment author: RobinZ 12 February 2011 01:45:13PM 0 points [-]

Will the person being manipulated discard it?

Comment author: orthonormal 12 February 2011 07:14:18PM 1 point [-]

If you set it up properly, yes. The moral concerns remain- I'm just saying that one could teach resistance to manipulation in a (at first undetected) manipulative fashion, so that the eventual discovery reinforces rather than undermines the lesson.

If it helps, imagine QQ doing this.

Comment author: RobinZ 13 February 2011 04:12:57AM 0 points [-]

...who?

Comment author: Zack_M_Davis 13 February 2011 04:58:58AM *  4 points [-]

Presumably Orthonormal is referring to "Quirinus Quirrell," the fictional character from Eliezer Yudkowsky's work of Harry Potter fanfiction, Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality. Best wishes, the Less Wrong Reference Desk.

Comment author: orthonormal 13 February 2011 11:26:16PM 1 point [-]

Indeed.