Nobody affiliated with LessWrong is allowed to use the word “signalling” for the next six months.
If you want to write something about signalling, you have to use the word “communication” instead. You can then use other words to clarify what you mean, as long as none of them are “signalling”.
I think this will lead to more clarity and a better site culture. Thanks for coming to my talk.
I think that what “signalling” does that “communication” does not is when we use it to analyze how specific actions convey meaning. For example, there’s a rich literature on flirting, in which scientists try to break down how various physical postures and gestures interact with things like laughter to signal attraction or aversion. “Communication” tends to imply a conscious, explicit, primarily verbal way of getting information across. “Signalling” tends to imply a subconscious, implicit, and primarily nonverbal way of getting information across. I think what we need isn’t so much a taboo on these terms as a clarification of what the difference is between them.
I have a proposal.
Nobody affiliated with LessWrong is allowed to use the word “signalling” for the next six months.
If you want to write something about signalling, you have to use the word “communication” instead. You can then use other words to clarify what you mean, as long as none of them are “signalling”.
I think this will lead to more clarity and a better site culture. Thanks for coming to my talk.
I like this attempt at meta-signaling! Good luck on making your signals more effective by preventing people from noticing that aspect of things.
I think that what “signalling” does that “communication” does not is when we use it to analyze how specific actions convey meaning. For example, there’s a rich literature on flirting, in which scientists try to break down how various physical postures and gestures interact with things like laughter to signal attraction or aversion. “Communication” tends to imply a conscious, explicit, primarily verbal way of getting information across. “Signalling” tends to imply a subconscious, implicit, and primarily nonverbal way of getting information across. I think what we need isn’t so much a taboo on these terms as a clarification of what the difference is between them.
I don’t suppose you could provide a specific example of when you think this would improve the conversation?