I think you could use Kolgomorov complexity to define simple, for these purposes. That way replacing your formula with "5##" wouldn't make it any simpler, because the machine would still have to execute all those multiplicative operations.
How can we be sure we have the simplest explanation? We can't be sure, because new data could come in to make us change our minds. But given a finite amount like {1, 2, ...} we can still weight possible formulae by Kogomorov complexity and prefer the simpler hypothesis.
I think natural numbers is simpler in this...
wedrified: I would have, except mutual friends who had been in similar situations with her had tried that, and it made things very awkward between them for a few months. So I had to find a more subtle way.
Alicorn: I just made an overly flirtatious joke and when she didn't respond, I knew what it meant. She's usually very flirtatious with everyone, so it was very unexpected behaviour for her.
I've become good at resolving fights in my family - people don't understand why the other person's angry, and I can explain the mistakes they're making in terms of probability, or in biases, cognitive science or often status-seeking behaviour, and they understand.
Also, I've become a lot better at managing my life romantically. I kept changing my mind about whether someone had feelings for me - she did, she didn't, she did, she didn't - and I could never be sure if I was re-interpreting evidence to suit my preferred hypothesis. So I decided upon a test, de...
Very true. Since starting university I've had many more opportunities to try new things, many of which I didn't think I'd like, but had a small enough failure cost that it seemed worth trying.
I'm now head writer of a university show, in a Madrigal choir and can dance salsa. I'm having a lot of fun.
In social situations, where you fear embarrassment and a status loss if you fail, you could try to cultivate a reputation for giving anything a try. Most people have the same fears, and trying something scary will usually get you respect because you're facing fears others couldn't. Trying and failing at something can actually be a status-raising move.
Hello! My name's Adam. I've been reading LessWrong since April, but I think this might be my first comment. I usually feel like I don't have much to add :)
I think my awakening as a rationalist can be traced back to reading Plato's Republic when I was 15. While not the typical rationalist text, it did open my eyes to the world of philosophy and logic, and first gave me the hunger for truths.
I found Less Wrong when a rationalist friend of mine badgered me for ages to visit it. This was after a weekend I'd spent in a particularly foul mood because of the shor...
Good morning, people. I'm assuming it's morning somewhere. Adam, from Australia. A friend of mine's been talking about this site for a while now. I had an unusually misanthropic weekend, full of people committing crimes against reason and logic, so I decided to search for some rational thinking. I remembered this place, loved it when I first clicked on, and have subscribed.
Super-tangential, I know, but there are at least two Austin bakeries that bake a range of fresh kolaches every day, https://www.batchatx.com/menus and https://www.quacksbakery.com/