I understand this to mean that focusing on the expected utility may lead to premature optimization, especially with regard to the unknown unknowns. Rejecting a whole line of thought, just because it seems from the outside that the probability of it being useful is very low.
Makes sense. But I think that maybe this is more (or also) about the size of the community than about its attitude. I mean, if you would have 1000 active LW members, then even if you present an idea that 99% of them reject, the remaining 10 people can organize their own discussion and explore the idea.
But I think that maybe this is more (or also) about the size of the community than about its attitude. I mean, if you would have 1000 active LW members, then even if you present an idea that 99% of them reject, the remaining 10 people can organize their own discussion and explore the idea.
You’d need a change in karma so that the post that was reject wasn’t buried. And that other people who see the post aren’t put off from posting speculative things by the karma hit.
Also are you expecting 1000 users in discussion, because I don’t think speculative posts will get into main.
I think it would be better if there was a separate forum to lesswrong that allowed/encouraged builders of systems and data hunters to gather with theory builders to work off the data. With a public record of the failures, so that people who are searching can know what has been built and failed to find anything interesting. Maybe it can be pseudo-anonymous so that people can work without fear to their reputation. Or maybe we should work harder at not worrying about being wrong, as long as we were wrong in good faith. Being secretly wrong is a sad thing to have to do in a rationalist community.
And lesswrong could be a literature review of the successes (meant and otherwise) so that people who are trying to execute can get the best knowledge without lots of cruft.
I understand this to mean that focusing on the expected utility may lead to premature optimization, especially with regard to the unknown unknowns. Rejecting a whole line of thought, just because it seems from the outside that the probability of it being useful is very low.
Makes sense. But I think that maybe this is more (or also) about the size of the community than about its attitude. I mean, if you would have 1000 active LW members, then even if you present an idea that 99% of them reject, the remaining 10 people can organize their own discussion and explore the idea.
You’d need a change in karma so that the post that was reject wasn’t buried. And that other people who see the post aren’t put off from posting speculative things by the karma hit.
Also are you expecting 1000 users in discussion, because I don’t think speculative posts will get into main.
I think it would be better if there was a separate forum to lesswrong that allowed/encouraged builders of systems and data hunters to gather with theory builders to work off the data. With a public record of the failures, so that people who are searching can know what has been built and failed to find anything interesting. Maybe it can be pseudo-anonymous so that people can work without fear to their reputation. Or maybe we should work harder at not worrying about being wrong, as long as we were wrong in good faith. Being secretly wrong is a sad thing to have to do in a rationalist community.
And lesswrong could be a literature review of the successes (meant and otherwise) so that people who are trying to execute can get the best knowledge without lots of cruft.