Apprentice

Dr. Jubjub predicts a crisis

Dr. Jubjub: Sir, I have been running some calculations and I’m worried about the way our slithy toves are heading. Prof. Bandersnatch: Huh? Why? The toves seem fine to me. Just look at them, gyring and gimbling in the wabe over there. Dr. Jubjub: Yes, but there is a distinct negative trend in my data. The toves are gradually losing their slithiness. Prof. Bandersnatch: Hmm, okay. That does sound serious. How long until it becomes a problem? Dr. Jubjub: Well, I’d argue that it’s already having negative effects but I’d say we will reach a real crisis in around 120 years. Prof. Bandersnatch: Phew, okay, you had me worried there for a moment. But it sounds like this is actually a non-problem. We can carry on working on the important stuff – technology will bail us out here in time. Dr. Jubjub: Sir! We already have the technology to fix the toves. The most straightforward way would be to whiffle their tulgey wood but we could also... Prof. Bandersnatch: What?? Whiffle their tulgey wood? Do you have any idea what that would cost? And besides, people won’t stand for it – slithy toves with unwhiffled tulgey wood are a part of our way of life. Dr. Jubjub: So, when you say technology will bail us out you mean you expect a solution that will be cheap, socially acceptable and developed soon? Prof. Bandersnatch: Of course! Prof. Jabberwock assures me the singularity will be here around tea-time on Tuesday. That is, if we roll up our sleeves and don’t waste time with trivialities like your tove issue. Maybe it’s just me but I feel like I run into a lot of conversations like this around here. On any problem that won’t become an absolute crisis in the next few decades, someone will take the Bandersnatch view that it will be more easily solved later (with cheaper or more socially acceptable technology) so we shouldn’t work directly on it now. The way out is forward - let’s step on the gas and get to the finish line before any annoying problems catch up with us. For all I

74Jan 10, 2014

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Land war in Asia

Introduction: Here's a misconception about World War II that I think is harmful and I don't see refuted often enough. Misconception: In 1941, Hitler was sitting pretty with most of Europe conquered and no huge difficulties on the horizon. Then, due to his megalomania and bullshit ideology, he decided to...

Dec 7, 201626

Humans can drive cars

There's been a lot of fuss lately about Google's gadgets. Computers can drive cars - pretty amazing, eh? I guess. But what amazed me as a child was that people can drive cars. I'd sit in the back seat while an adult controlled a machine taking us at insane speeds...

Jan 30, 201453

Dr. Jubjub predicts a crisis

Jan 10, 201474

We need new humans, please help

This topic is in vogue, so here's my pitch. My fellow humans, I have some bad news and some good news. The bad news is that you are likely to eventually enter an enfeebled state, during which you will not be able to independently provide for yourself. Even worse, you...

Jan 9, 2014-16

[LINK] Why I'm not on the Rationalist Masterlist

A long blog post explains why the author, a feminist, is not comfortable with the rationalist community despite thinking it is "super cool and interesting". It's directed specifically at Yvain, but it's probably general enough to be of some interest here. http://apophemi.wordpress.com/2014/01/04/why-im-not-on-the-rationalist-masterlist/ I'm not sure if I can summarize this...

Jan 6, 201440

The Noddy problem

An episode of the Noddy animated series has the following plot. Noddy needs to go pick up Martha Monkey at the station. But it's such a nice, sunny day that he would prefer to play around outside. He gets an idea to solve this dilemma. He casts a duplication spell...

Jan 12, 201245

Lecturing congressmen on cognitive biases

A new session of Iceland's parliament convened on Saturday, opening with a religious service as is traditional. For the last couple of years, a local humanist group has offered alternatives to the religious ceremony. On Saturday they had a psychologist give a lecture on cognitive biases, principally on confirmation bias...

Oct 4, 20119

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Dr. Jubjub predicts a crisis

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Humans can drive cars

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Apprentice

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Humans can drive cars

Dr. Jubjub predicts a crisis

We need new humans, please help

[LINK] Why I'm not on the Rationalist Masterlist

The Noddy problem

Lecturing congressmen on cognitive biases

Dr. Jubjub predicts a crisis

The Science of Cutting Peppers

Humans can drive cars

The Noddy problem

Land war in Asia

Humans can drive cars

Dr. Jubjub predicts a crisis

We need new humans, please help

[LINK] Why I'm not on the Rationalist Masterlist

The Noddy problem

Lecturing congressmen on cognitive biases