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Clarity comments on Outreach Thread - Less Wrong Discussion

6 Post author: Gleb_Tsipursky 06 March 2016 10:18PM

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Comment author: Clarity 07 March 2016 11:51:54AM *  0 points [-]

Isn't the idea of spreading rationality techniques, or terms like agency, or theories like dual process theory, without an evidence base suggesting that spreading those specific rationality techniques or concepts leads to x good thing kinda irrational? Theoretical constructs are useful for researchers, but not necessarily useful for applicants.

Comment author: Gleb_Tsipursky 07 March 2016 07:21:17PM 2 points [-]

I'm not sure what's so irrational about it. I have a high probability estimate that spreading these ideas and raising the sanity waterline is a good thing. It would be irrational not to spread them due to opportunity costs.

Consider a parallel example: would you ask Eliezer to have tested out whether writing the Sequences is a good thing before writing them and spreading this thinking? If not, why not?

Comment author: Clarity 08 March 2016 12:23:18AM 1 point [-]

Convincing analogy. I don't know.