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Benquo comments on Leveling IRL - Less Wrong Discussion
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Comments (125)
Those sound like what's needed. Thanks for making awesome concrete suggestions!
I wonder whether the Math category should be broken down a bit. There's calculation - which is sometimes easier to start with e.g. things like basic arithmetic operations, representing real quantities with mathematical numbers and shapes), then there's algebra/geometry and the things which follow, and probability starts with a new set of axioms and applies to a different sort of problem, so it may deserve a separate skill hierarchy. I might also separate out "proving" as a standalone skill, though with not very many levels. (You learn to prove advanced math by learning the math, but initially you still have to learn how to follow and then how to generate a proof). Or maybe as part of a" logic" skill hierarchy?
I worry that the system will get way too complicated if we're splitting things up at that level. But maybe with many worker bees, it will thrive, like Wikipedia or MathWorld. In my leveling references (various games I've played), you could get to level 4 in Math, but put a note that said "strong on probability theory, average on the rest".
I think we need to determine if we want a Level system as found in various games, or a Badge system, that quantifies/commemorates particular tasks (your breakdown reminds me more of Badges, not Levels).
Maybe both? Generic human levels for the things most of us agree are important for everyone to work on, plus badges for the specializations, like algebraic geometry or the computational astrophysics of stellar dust? Maybe "numeracy" for the generic human version of math, cf. John Allen Paulos' "Innumeracy" book.
Right now I'm most interested in "generic human levels", but several people here in the comments have independently expressed interest in the idea of "badges" for specialists. Perhaps you could make something out of it? :-)
It seems to me that badges are what you get when your levels become too specific.
Like, if we can't agree on math badges and split it up by subfield (say, calculus, statistics, graph theory, topography, cryptology, etc.) and then can't agree on levels (what comes first, optimizing multivariable functions, or Taylor series?) then you essentially just collect badges in a bunch of fields.