komponisto comments on Mini-camp on Rationality, Awesomeness, and Existential Risk (May 28 through June 4, 2011) - Less Wrong

39 Post author: AnnaSalamon 24 April 2011 08:10AM

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Comment author: komponisto 24 April 2011 11:28:38PM 11 points [-]

I think it would be worth mentioning to what extent people who have participated in the visiting fellows program should consider applying to things like this. Are you looking mainly for new people?

More abstractly, I'd be interested in some more clarity on what sort of "level" you're outreaching to. Are you looking to take ordinary LW readers and turn them into awesome people, or are you wanting to start with awesome people and turn them into super-awesome people? Despite your remark about being receptive to a wide range of skill levels, these seem like two different hypothetical programs to me; yet the description could fit either of them.

(The difference I have in mind is approximately the following: on the one hand, you could have a program that helps intelligent people overcome their akrasia and inertia to become high-achievers; and on the other, you could have a program that helps people who are already high-achievers channel their productivity in the most useful directions.)

Comment author: AnnaSalamon 25 April 2011 05:22:36AM *  4 points [-]

New people should apply regardless of knowledge level:

  • I reliably benefit from doing epistemic rationality exercises of the sort we’ll be doing, despite having done many such exercises, and having spent three years working with highly skilled rationalists (by current human standards). Fundamentals stay interesting, and can be internalized on many levels.
  • For the topics where advanced students are most likely to not learn from beginners' questions, such as Bayesian probability and also such as AI risk, we'll be breaking the group in two halves based on how much background folks have with that specific topic (folks can choose which half to join).
  • Anyone who is trying to figure out how to reduce existential risk should especially consider coming, since discussing strategy with others who’ve thought carefully about it, and meeting people you can potentially work with, is typically valuable.

I’ll have to discuss the issue of past fellows with others. We’ll select mostly participants who’ve never stayed here before, in order to have made contact with more people; but that isn’t an absolute rule.

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