someonewrongonthenet comments on Help us name the Sequences ebook - Less Wrong

14 Post author: lukeprog 15 April 2013 07:59PM

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Comment author: someonewrongonthenet 16 April 2013 05:34:09AM *  0 points [-]

The Sequences: How to Become Less Wrong

I'm actually in favor of keeping "The Sequences" in the title. "Rationality" is unfortunately a vague term for most people, and might even turn off some. There are several routes other than "catchy" - for ascetic purposes it's okay to be a little esoteric. The Sequences sounds like part of something mysterious and important. Plus it fits nicely with Eliezer Yudkowski's Bayesian Conspiracy motif.

Comment author: gryffinp 16 April 2013 05:56:54AM 4 points [-]

I really dislike "The Sequences: How to become Less Wrong." The problem I have with it is that I think it misrepresents what one of titular sequences actually is. The impression I receive is that this book offers some step by step instructions, known as the Mysterious and Capitalized "Sequences" that will improve your life and make you a better person.

...ok so maybe it's not that far off but the point I'm trying to make here is: A book that advertises itself that way doesn't sound legitimate. It gives me an impression of belonging to the "self-help book" category, which has a fairly bad reputation. If I saw a book with that title in a book store, I'd probably smirk at it and move on. Whereas I think that beginning the title with "Rationality" gives it a more scientific air. And I ah e to imagine that the idea here is that the cover of the book should reflect the contents as usefully as possible.

Comment author: Decius 16 April 2013 07:28:12PM 0 points [-]

The Bayesian Conspiracy

The Bayesian Conspiracy: How to Become Less Wrong

Or some other suggested title with The Bayesian Conspiracy added/substituted?

Comment author: Kawoomba 16 April 2013 07:47:29PM 0 points [-]

The Sequence-Less Conspiracy: How to Become Bayesian-Wrong?

We need to enable the old steam-powered Permutation-Machine!

Comment author: Decius 16 April 2013 08:13:47PM 0 points [-]

It's over by the hand-cranked Von Neumann Machine.

Comment author: Kawoomba 16 April 2013 08:21:24PM 0 points [-]

Ah, besides the Lego Turing Machine. A perfect replica ... apart from the whole infinite tape thing, that's gotta be a Lego marketing gimmick. I'd say they are apparently easy to build, but then again, the A-Team can build anything.