steven0461 comments on A Parable On Obsolete Ideologies - Less Wrong

113 Post author: Yvain 13 May 2009 10:51PM

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Comment author: steven0461 18 May 2009 09:22:06AM *  16 points [-]

that it's easy to acquire specific about an individual, which screens off any prior information based on sex and race

I think people may be overapplying the concept of "screening off", though?

If for example RACE -> INTELLIGENCE -> TEST SCORE, then knowing someone's test score does not screen off race for the purpose of predicting intelligence (unless I'm very confused). Knowing test score should still make knowing race less useful, but not because of screening off.

On the other hand, if for example GENDER -> PERSONALITY TRAITS -> RATIONALIST TENDENCIES, then knowing someone's personality traits does screen off gender for the purpose of predicting rationalist tendencies.