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EndlessStrategy comments on Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality discussion thread, part 20, chapter 90 - Less Wrong Discussion

9 Post author: palladias 02 July 2013 02:13AM

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Comment author: EndlessStrategy 03 July 2013 09:01:49AM 2 points [-]

The most obvious reason for Quirrel's actions at the end of this chapter is to prevent the prophecy from coming true. The next most obvious, and what I think is correct, is that he's taking those precautions because he wants to make sure Harry doesn't die before he makes the prophecy come true.

Comment author: William_Quixote 03 July 2013 08:46:14PM 6 points [-]

Professor Quirrell spoke with eyes half-lidded, looking out like through slits. "More than the question of whom the prophecy spoke - who was meant to hear it? It is said that fates are spoken to those with the power to cause them or avert them.

http://hpmor.com/chapter/86

Quirrell is of the view that prophecies are sometimes of things that can be prevented.

Comment author: DanArmak 03 July 2013 06:30:42PM -1 points [-]

But a prophecy can't be prevented from coming true. Otherwise it would just be a prediction.

Comment author: gwern 03 July 2013 06:35:43PM 3 points [-]

But how it comes true is very flexible, and we are warned repeatedly against any simple naive notion like 'a prophecy will come true literally as you think it will', in http://hpmor.com/chapter/86 http://hpmor.com/chapter/28 http://hpmor.com/chapter/72 (especially chapter 86 - why would Merlin bother with a Hall if it was as futile as all that?).

Comment author: ikrase 04 July 2013 01:02:53AM 3 points [-]

It's worth noting that Harry's prophecy is partially imperative and partially conditional.

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