Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality discussion thread, part 27, chapter 98

Vaniver

Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality discussion thread, part 27, chapter 98 — LessWrong

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Oh, sure, I'm not saying the kids aren't capable of performing the actions they did. What I'm wondering about is why the rest of the world is playing along. Even if these children - 11 year olds if I have that right - are the sanest people in Hogwarts, does the Hogwarts faculty recognize this, and the Auror office, and the Board of Governors, and their own parents? Or are all these people magically aware of the story theme that you mentioned, and the title of the last few chapters.

Susan Bones is giving the Aurors orders because it is her Aunt that runs the Auror office.

I don't think that's how police forces generally work...

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PhilGoetz13y30

Possibly it's to suggest that if a group proclaims its own authority to act, and acts with certainty, most people will go along with it.

-2anotherblackhat13y

I notice you are confused. I think you've made two questionable assumptions; Assumption 1. Wizard Children are not generally treated as competent at age 11. Assumption 2. The children making the announcement at Hogwarts are responsible for brokering the deal. I.e. they aren't just mouthpieces for their respective families. Assumption 2b. The Hogwarts staff is aware of 2. Assumption 1 might be true - but I note that the age of majority has been increasing over time, and wizarding society is in many ways old timey. It seems reasonable to me that allowing a child of 12 to command a wizarding army is no stranger in wizard society than allowing David Farragut to command a ship at age 12 was during the war of 1812. Also, we haven't seen the reactions of the wizarding world in general - maybe everyone who isn't on the Hogwarts staff is scandalized. For that matter, maybe the staff is too, they're just not openly scandalized. But assumption 2 seems completely wrong to me, and likely the main source of the confusion.

9EternalStargazer13y

It isn't, but keep in mind that this is still a pseudo feudal system, which still has existent Noble families with laws favoring them on the books. In a feudal system, that is absolutely how a 'police' (private army) force actually works. If you're the Prince, you can command them. In such a system, it wouldn't seem as strange that the daughter of the house is giving the commands. You'll notice they also all announce themselves by House first. As an aside, if you are Amelia Bones, and you have to give one person preferential treatment, control, and ease of communication with your Aurors (and by extension, yourself), who do you pick from the group of kids who are making the announcement? Which one do you trust most?

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Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality discussion thread, part 27, chapter 98

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Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality discussion thread, part 27, chapter 98

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