Patrick

Meetup : Less Wrong Melbourne September Dojo: Vagueness

10y

Discussion article for the meetup : Less Wrong Melbourne September Dojo: Vagueness

WHEN: 06 September 2015 08:44:00PM (+1000)

WHERE: Ross House Association, 247 Flinders Lane Melbourne

This month's dojo will be split into two parts: Theory and practice. The theory part will consist of a lecture, and selected readings. The practice part will consist of various rationality drills. The lecture will cover vagueness: why it's bad, and how to get around it. Groups will read one of the following excerpts 1. "The Virtue of Narrowness" 2. "Mysterious Answers to Mysterious Questions." 3. "Making beliefs pay rent

Patrick13y

Engaging Intellectual Elites at Less Wrong

Point me to where Luke denied that academia has any advantages over LW. If you're going to claim that LW is obviously not "the highest-quality relatively-general-interest forum on the web", it would help your case to provide an obvious counterexample (academic channels themselves are generally not on the web, and LW has some advantages over them, even if the reverse is also true). LW is also not as homogeneous as you appear to believe; plenty of us are academics.

You're straw-manning here. Not conceding isn't the same thing as denying. To not concede something, one just has to omit the concession from one's writing. But this is just quibbling. The real issue... (read more)

Replying toPrivileging the Question

Patrick13y

Privileging the Question

The colloquial definition is "Useless but impressive and flatters my vanity".

The probabilistic definition is "Observable thing X signals quality A means P(A|X) > P(A)".

The economic definition is "Alice signals P to Bob by X if the net cost of X to Alice is outweighed by the benefits of Bob 'believing' A, and X causes Bob to 'believe' A even when Bob takes in to account that Alice wants him to 'believe' A." (note 'believe' A means 'act as if A were true'.)

Replying toOpen Thread, April 15-30, 2013

Patrick13y

Open Thread, April 15-30, 2013

The definition of limit: "lim x -> a f(x) = c " means for all epsilon > 0, there exists delta > 0 such that for all x, if 0 < |x-a|<delta then |f(x) - c| < epsilon.

The definition of derivative: f'(x) = lim h -> 0 (f(x+h) - f(x))/h

That is, for all epsilon > 0, there exists delta > 0 such that for all h, if 0 < |h| < delta then |(f(x+h) - f(x))/h - f'(x)| < epsilon.

At no point do we divide by 0. h never takes on the value 0.

Replying toMeetup : Melbourne Social Meetup

Patrick13y

Meetup : Melbourne Social Meetup

I will attend. Is it OK if I bring my boyfriend (User:MixedNuts) along via my iPad?

Replying toCo-Working Collaboration to Combat Akrasia

Patrick13y

Co-Working Collaboration to Combat Akrasia

I'm open to coworking generally.

My ideal coworker is someone who is funny and interested in maths, physics and computer science. My plan would be to read books like Mathematics Form and Function or The Feynman Lectures on Physics and try to summarize / explain the content. For co working where I shut up, I am working on re-implementing MC-AIXI for my honours thesis.

Please contact me if interested, my email is patrick.robotham2@gmail.com my skype nick is grey_fox26

Meetup : Tokyo Meetup

Patrick

13y

Discussion article for the meetup : Tokyo Meetup

WHEN: 01 March 2013 07:00:00PM (+1100)

WHERE: Kawaguchi Station

Email Usmar Padow at usmar@i.softbank.jp Include "Less Wrong Meetup" in the subject line.

Discussion article for the meetup : Tokyo Meetup

Replying toYou can't signal to rubes

Patrick13y

You can't signal to rubes

You're accusing me of group selectionism? We might disagree on a point of terminology, but come on, I'm not a completely nutter. Anyway, my point in quoting the wikipedia article is that too much dishonest signalling makes signalling completely pointless ('weakens the integrity of the signalling system'), so for signalling to work you need some way of keeping out the cheats. I'm not proposing anything as daft as "groups without cheats will prosper". Indeed, that's why I was making such a big deal about criterion 4 and cost asymmetry, because the analysis of signalling has to work on an individual basis, including the individuals that might be tempted to cheat.

In my limited... (read more)

Replying toYou can't signal to rubes

Patrick13y

You can't signal to rubes

No. I think that because lying is common in human society, a credible signal must be costly to liars.

Replying toYou can't signal to rubes

Patrick13y

You can't signal to rubes

Well I'm happy to use "costly signalling". I was under the impression that costly signalling was signalling. If it isn't costly, at least for potential fakes, then I'm not sure how it can serve as an explanation for behavior. Why should I signal when the fakes can signal just as easily? What is there to gain? I think at the very least, there has to be some mechanism for keeping out cheats, even if it's rarity. From the wikipedia article on signalling theory:

" If many animals in a group send too many dishonest signals, then their entire signalling system will collapse, leading to much poorer fitness of the group as a whole.... (read more)

Replying toYou can't signal to rubes

Patrick13y

You can't signal to rubes

A rube is a sucker, someone easily deceived.The slogan means that potential signalling explanations shouldn't assume that the receiver of the signals is stupid.

Replying toYou can't signal to rubes

Patrick13y

You can't signal to rubes

Why not? Can't we regard evolutionary signalling as completely analogous to cognitive signalling, just as played by genes over a much longer time scale?

You can't signal to rubes

Patrick

13y

The word 'signalling' is often used in Less Wrong, and often used wrongly. This post is intended to call out our community on its wrongful use, as well as serve as an introduction to the correct concept of signalling as contrast.

"We choose to go to the moon. We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard.."
- John F. Kennedy

Why do peacocks grow such large, conspicuous tails? Why do people take degrees in subjects like Philosophy or Classics, despite these subjects having no obvious practical value? Why do people take pains to avoid splitting infinitives, even though... (read 1525 more words →)

117

Coursera Behavioural Neurology Course

Patrick

14y

Coursera is running a course on behavioural neurology here: https://www.coursera.org/course/neurobehavior

Any LWers that to want the associated study group should visit ##patrickclass on irc.freenode.net or email patrick.robotham2@gmail.com .

Meetup : Shanghai Less Wrong Meetup

Patrick

14y

Discussion article for the meetup : Shanghai Less Wrong Meetup

WHEN: 15 April 2012 10:36:00PM (+1100)

WHERE: Shanghai

WHEN: 15 April 2012 01:00:00PM

WHERE: This is at a private residence, please private message 'Teddy' if you're joining. (This is China, it's got to be this way) I'm looking for any willing Shanghai Lesswrong readers to join this group if they haven't already. Up vote user Teddy in the comments below. This way I have karma to post to the meetup section without asking Patrick Robotham each time. This will help us boost members for the community here in Shanghai. The group has been meeting informally for awhile.. we have a good community here. If you'd like to join let me know.

Discussion article for the meetup : Shanghai Less Wrong Meetup

Free Tutoring in Math/Programming

Patrick

14y

I enjoy teaching, and I'd like to do my bit for the Less Wrong community. I've tutored a few people on the #lesswrong IRC channel in freenode without causing permanent brain damage. Hence I'm extending my offer of free tutoring from #lesswrong to lesswrong.com.

I offer tutoring in the following programming languages:

Haskell
C
Python
Scheme

I offer tutoring in the following areas of mathematics:

Elementary Algebra
Trigonometry
Calculus
Linear Algebra
Analysis
Abstract Algebra
Logic
Category Theory
Probability Theory
Combinatorics
Computational Complexity

If you're interested contact me. Contact details below:

IRC: PatrickRobotham

Skype: grey_fox26

Email: patrick.robotham2@gmail.com

Meetup : Shanghai Less Wrong Meetup

Patrick

14y

Discussion article for the meetup : Shanghai Less Wrong Meetup

WHEN: 12 September 2011 07:00:00PM (+1000)

WHERE: Starbucks, Carrefour Mall, the Zhongshan Park Store, near the Zhongshan Park Station, Line 2, 3, or 4, Shanghai, China

Where: Starbucks, Carrefour Mall, the Zhongshan Park Store, near the Zhongshan Park Station, Line 2, 3, or 4, Shanghai, China B1&B2, No.1018, ChangNing Road, ChangNing District, Shanghai ( 长宁路1018号, 龙之梦购物中心B1-2楼近凯旋路 ) When: 2011, September 12th, Monday, 7pm-10pm Contact John Teddy: 18721399070 (local phone no., just text me if you can't find us)

I'm looking for any willing Shanghai Lesswrong readers to join this group if they haven't already. Up vote user Teddy in the comments below. This way I have karma to post to the meetup section without asking Patrick Robotham each time. This will help us boost members for the community here in Shanghai.

Discussion article for the meetup : Shanghai Less Wrong Meetup

Shanghai Less Wrong Meetup #2 Wednesday May 11th, 7pm

Patrick

15y

John Teddy has asked me to post the following meetup on Less Wrong:

Shanghai Lesswrong Meeting #2

Wednesday May 11th, 7pm, XuHui District, Shanghai, China (private residence not listed, please contact John Teddy)

The first meeting was a success. There are plans to have regular meetings, goal setting, and various topics. Some of the planned topics are porting the mind to software, bayes theorem, cognitive biases, paleo diet, etc. The first meeting was at a public venue. Our next meeting will be at a private residence. Please text or call John Teddy ( http://lesswrong.com/user/johntheodore ) at 18621732925 to receive the address.

Shanghai Less Wrong Meetup April 30th, 2pm

Patrick

15y

John Teddy asked me to post the following info for a Less Wrong meetup he is organizing.

Where: Starbucks, Carrefour Mall, the Zhongshan Park Store, near the Zhongshan Park Station, Line 2, 3, or 4, Shanghai, China

B1&B2, No.1018, ChangNing Road, ChangNing District, Shanghai ( 长宁路1018号, 龙之梦购物中心B1-2楼近凯旋路 )

When: 2011, April 30th at 2pm.

Contact John Teddy: 18721399070 (phone no.)

Melbourne Meetup May 6th, 6pm

Patrick

15y

Where: 55 Walsh St, West Melbourne, Australia

When: Friday May 6th, 6pm

We'll be discussing hacks for improving one's intelligence and energy levels (e.g. meditation, nootropics, paleo diet). If you know any tricks, or would like to learn some, come to the meetup!

LESSWRONG
LW

LESSWRONG
LW

Free Tutoring in Math/Programming

You can't signal to rubes

Avoiding Failure: Fallacy Finding

Mind Control and Me

Patrick

Patrick

Meetup : Less Wrong Melbourne September Dojo: Vagueness

Meetup : Tokyo Meetup

You can't signal to rubes

Coursera Behavioural Neurology Course

Meetup : Shanghai Less Wrong Meetup

Free Tutoring in Math/Programming

Meetup : Shanghai Less Wrong Meetup

Patrick

Free Tutoring in Math/Programming

You can't signal to rubes

Avoiding Failure: Fallacy Finding

Mind Control and Me

Patrick

Patrick

Meetup : Less Wrong Melbourne September Dojo: Vagueness

Meetup : Tokyo Meetup

You can't signal to rubes

Coursera Behavioural Neurology Course

Meetup : Shanghai Less Wrong Meetup

Free Tutoring in Math/Programming

Meetup : Shanghai Less Wrong Meetup

Discussion article for the meetup : Less Wrong Melbourne September Dojo: Vagueness

Discussion article for the meetup : Tokyo Meetup

Discussion article for the meetup : Tokyo Meetup

Discussion article for the meetup : Shanghai Less Wrong Meetup

Discussion article for the meetup : Shanghai Less Wrong Meetup

Discussion article for the meetup : Shanghai Less Wrong Meetup

Discussion article for the meetup : Shanghai Less Wrong Meetup