talisman comments on Contests vs. Real World Problems - Less Wrong

15 Post author: badger 25 March 2009 01:29AM

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Comment author: talisman 25 March 2009 02:57:01AM *  11 points [-]

The fear and hatred of gambling. Contra Tyler Cowen, betting your beliefs is one of the best paths to both individual and group rationality. You should be doing it twice a day, like brushing your teeth. The beliefs that don't get bet get cavities and rot; the beliefs that are unbettable create unbreakable deadlocks that later require ophtalmological intervention. Bet!

Comment author: William 27 March 2009 01:36:10AM 3 points [-]

One warning though: Gambler's ruin is very possible with betting systems, even if your strategy has a positive expected value.