Lumifer comments on Open thread, Oct. 5 - Oct. 11, 2015 - Less Wrong

7 Post author: MrMind 05 October 2015 06:50AM

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Comment author: Lumifer 05 October 2015 03:41:44PM 7 points [-]

A new (for me) word: mathiness.

The style that I am calling mathiness lets academic politics masquerade as science. Like mathematical theory, mathiness uses a mixture of words and symbols, but instead of making tight links, it leaves ample room for slippage between statements in natural versus formal language and between statements with theoretical as opposed to empirical content.

Comment author: gjm 05 October 2015 04:29:02PM 3 points [-]

It's maybe worth saying that the term is clearly based on "truthiness".

Comment author: Lumifer 05 October 2015 04:35:24PM 2 points [-]

Etymologically, yes, but conceptually I think it's more related to the ages-old idea of "dazzle 'em with bullshit".

Comment author: Good_Burning_Plastic 05 October 2015 08:13:10PM 6 points [-]

Or in SSCese Eulering

Comment author: Lumifer 05 October 2015 08:22:49PM 1 point [-]

Yep, an excellent connection.

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