fubarobfusco comments on Rationality Quotes April 2012 - Less Wrong

4 Post author: Oscar_Cunningham 03 April 2012 12:42AM

You are viewing a comment permalink. View the original post to see all comments and the full post content.

Comments (858)

You are viewing a single comment's thread. Show more comments above.

Comment author: fubarobfusco 04 April 2012 03:56:09PM *  0 points [-]

Say you believe that all beliefs should pay rent in anticipated experiences. What experiences do you anticipate only because you hold this belief?

Well, that's a "should" statement, so we cash it out in terms of desirable outcomes, e.g.:

  • People who spend more time elaborating on their non-anticipatory beliefs will not get as much benefit from doing so as people who spend more time updating anticipatory beliefs.
  • If two people (or groups, or disciplines) ostensibly aim at the same goals, and deploy similar amounts of resources and effort; but one focuses its efforts with anticipation-controlling beliefs while the other relies on non-anticipation-controlling beliefs, then the former will achieve the goals more than the latter. (Examples could be found in charities with the goal of saving lives; or in martial arts schools with the goal of winning fights.)