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btrettel comments on Open thread, Aug. 03 - Aug. 09, 2015 - Less Wrong Discussion

5 Post author: MrMind 03 August 2015 07:05AM

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Comment author: btrettel 06 August 2015 11:36:26PM 1 point [-]

Another idea: Self-fulfilling prophecies

This seems to be the general name for the phenomena of a prediction causing itself to be fulfilled. I don't have time to read the Wikipedia entry right now, but I suspect it'll offer some ideas about how to use predictions to your own advantage. Let me know if you think of anything good. I'll post a reply here if I do.

Comment author: Viliam 07 August 2015 08:03:05PM 1 point [-]

I am afraid that the perverse incentives would be harmful here. The easy way to achieve perfect accuracy in predicting your own future action is to predict failure, and then fail intentionally.

Even if one does not consciously go so far, it could still be unconsciously tempting to predict slightly smaller probability of success, because you can always adjust the outcome downwards.

To avoid this effect completely, (as a hypothetical utility maximizer) you would have to care about your success infinitely more than about predicting correctly. In which case, why bother predicting?