Vaniver comments on Unofficial Canon on Applied Rationality - LessWrong
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Comments (32)
Problems one and two (hard and imperfect) would suggest that people will get less value out of ScottL's post than a workshop. OK, fine. Don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good. Scale ScottL's post up through easy online access and the many, many people getting a smaller somewhat unreliable benefit turns into something very significant. But problem 3,
That's reason enough to not release your own material. But specifically, do you think ScottL's compilation above or sharing the guide I've written (if I was to post it here for anyone to use) has the same effect? Do you think our compilations will have a net negative effect on rationality?
Do you have an estimate on this? I won't hold you to it, I'd just like to know what kind of time frame 'near' is.
My view, as a CFAR alum and donor, is that the primary arguments against CFAR releasing their material are 1) better returns on time and 2) making it more difficult to change the material. I think online material complements instead of competes with in person classes; standard advice in consulting is "give away your best material for free." (I think CFAR was sensible to wait until now to decide that some of its material is 'best' enough to give away.)
I don't think independent compilations of rationality material are net negative, in the same way that I think Starbucks complements instead of competes with independent coffee shops.
I do think it's weird to call this the CFAR canon if it's not explicitly endorsed by CFAR. (ScottL, what do you think the word 'canon' means?)