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This article could profit from an introductory paragraph to explain what you are talking about. In particular, I'd find it helpful if you introduced the terms "denotational content" in contrast to "connotation".
How do I use it? Fortune is being obstructive.
First, you have to find the path where fortune files are stored. In the man file of fortune, there is a chapter "FILES" in which you can find the default path for fortune files. Your path may be different, maybe you have to search for it. Put the files "rationality" and "rationality.dat" into this path and test using the command fortune rationality. If it doesn't work, you can try to generate your own .dat file using the command strfile rationality.
I'd be interested to know whether this worked for you and what steps where necessary, since I didn't try this with different fortune installations.
In response to
Best of Rationality Quotes, 2014 Edition
I also updated my fortune file, so that you can get random rationality quotes to your unix terminal. You can find it here.
In response to
2014 Less Wrong Census/Survey
Did the survey. Accidently pressed submit before calculating digit ratio :( Answered everything else though.
In response to
October 2014 Media Thread
Nonfiction Books Thread
Destiny Disrupted: A History of the World Through Islamic Eyes. Tamim Ansary is not trying to give an objective report of historic events; instead he tells stories about people and events that shaped Muslim thought. This includes episodes about Mohammed and the Quran, the reception of Greek philosophy, various rulers, and interactions with neighbouring groups and empires. The book is an easy read and gives a compact overview of the Islamic world. I recommend it for those who don't know much about Islam and want to get an introduction into the narrative of this religion.
When I read a foreign language, I prefer to read aloud.
You're right that this helps, and I do it when I can. It's sometimes hard to find a place to do this where it's not so disruptive.
For languages I don't know well, reading comics helps me most...and to radio
No comic books or radio, unfortunately, since its a dead language. Thanks for the suggestions though. Now that I think about it, I think I can read Harry Potter. That might be worth looking into.
In response to
Group Rationality Diary, March 16-31
I've been trying to learn a difficult language for some time now. I've found the process to be pretty painful, and I'm prone to akrasia. I've been trying to come up with some way of effectively practicing that isn't horrible. This is the solution I've come up with:
First, I've found that reading and translating with other people is fun and engrossing, and I'm ashamed not to show up. So whenever I can, I find other people to read with.
When I have to do read alone, the best way seems to be to give myself a fixed amount of text to translate and a fixed amount of time, little enough that I'm rushing. I tell someone I'm committing to show them my translation afterwards (i.e. just that I've done it). This isn't pleasant, but the time pressure keeps me focused, and I'm proud of finishing when I do.
When I read a foreign language, I prefer to read aloud. This helps me to understand some phrases I don't get from reading alone. This may work better for languages closely related to the native one, but it also helps getting the pronunciation right. (For languages I'm more fluent in, I read in different accents. This keeps me from getting bored)
For languages I don't know well, reading comics helps me most, because I can pick up many words from context and I don't have to look up words. Switching to comic books was perhaps the best change of learning habits I have done so far. It finally makes reading practice fun.
Generally, I first try to get the pronunciation right before trying to read texts. I listen to pronunciation samples and to radio until I can at least pronounce texts without compound words. Just from passive listening to radio you can pick up the general rhythm. Also, it works well with akrasia.
In response to
What attracts people to learning things that they consider neither interesting nor important?
Reason number one: someone with power or influence over them considers the activity to be interesting or important. (Example: school.)
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comment
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What attracts people to learning things that they consider neither interesting nor important?
Which would make the activity an instrument for pleasing the person in power, i.e. important for getting a reward / not getting punishment.
In response to
Best of Rationality Quotes, 2013 Edition
If you want your terminal to greet you with rationality quotes, I created a new fortunes file: https://github.com/Huluk/rationality-fortunes Use with "unix fortune" for your operating system.
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There is a difference between "crunching probability flows, in order to output evidence apparently favoring that conclusion" and testing a hypothesis. Testing a hypothesis is an open-ended process. The tester may do it in order to find evidence in support of it, but that is not necessarily what they'll get.