It may be enough if we find common cause in wanting to be rational in some shared topic areas. As long as we can clearly demarcate off-limit topics, we might productively work on our rationality on other topics. We’ve heard that politics is the mind killer, and that we will do better working on rationality if we stay away from politics. You might argue similarly about religion. That all said, I can also see a need for a place for people to gather who want to be rational about all topics. So, the question for this community to decide is, what if any topics should be off-limits here?
One caveat: it’s great to want to be rationalist about all things, but let him without sin cast the first stone. So much of the community’s energies have gone into analyzing akrasia—understanding that behavior X is rational and proper yet not doing it—that it appears hypocritical and counter-productive to reject members because they haven’t yet reached all the right conclusions. After all, MrHen did mark religion for later contemplation.
“If you could reason with religious people, there would be no religious people.”
House M.D.
Robin, I’m a little surprised to read you saying that topics on which it’s difficult to stay on track should be skirted. As far as I’m concerned, ‘What are your religious views?’ is the first question on the Basic Rationality test. I know that encouraging compartmentalisation isn’t your goal by any means, but it sounds to me as though it would be the primary effect.
I can also see a need for a place for people to gather who want to be rational about all topics.
Now you’re talking. No topics should be off-limits!
It would be great for this rationalist community to be able to discuss any topic, but in a way that insulates the main rationality discussions from off-topic discussions. Perhaps forum software separate from the main format of LessWrong? Are monthly open threads enough for off-topic discussions?
A rationalist forum would be interesting not only for the discussions themselves, but also because it would materialize and test some of the more abstract stuff from this site.
Reading the new year/decade predictions conversations, it struck me that effective treatment of outside content should be Less Wrong’s crowning jewel—the real proof that rationality makes good ideas.
We should discuss non-meta topics on non-meta subreddits. Maybe if you asked Eliezer he would turn on sub-reddit creation or make at least one. I would like both a non-meta group blog, a non-meta link sharing subreddit, and an on-topic meta rationalist link-sharing subreddit.
I think that the problems of scale and education these extra sites will create are not easy, but solving them as soon as possible is desirable.
It’s something we need to discuss more fully soon enough; I’ll make a top-level post to discuss it eventually.
It may be enough if we find common cause in wanting to be rational in some shared topic areas. As long as we can clearly demarcate off-limit topics, we might productively work on our rationality on other topics. We’ve heard that politics is the mind killer, and that we will do better working on rationality if we stay away from politics. You might argue similarly about religion. That all said, I can also see a need for a place for people to gather who want to be rational about all topics. So, the question for this community to decide is, what if any topics should be off-limits here?
Agreed.
One caveat: it’s great to want to be rationalist about all things, but let him without sin cast the first stone. So much of the community’s energies have gone into analyzing akrasia—understanding that behavior X is rational and proper yet not doing it—that it appears hypocritical and counter-productive to reject members because they haven’t yet reached all the right conclusions. After all, MrHen did mark religion for later contemplation.
House M.D.
Robin, I’m a little surprised to read you saying that topics on which it’s difficult to stay on track should be skirted. As far as I’m concerned, ‘What are your religious views?’ is the first question on the Basic Rationality test. I know that encouraging compartmentalisation isn’t your goal by any means, but it sounds to me as though it would be the primary effect.
Now you’re talking. No topics should be off-limits!
It would be great for this rationalist community to be able to discuss any topic, but in a way that insulates the main rationality discussions from off-topic discussions. Perhaps forum software separate from the main format of LessWrong? Are monthly open threads enough for off-topic discussions?
A rationalist forum would be interesting not only for the discussions themselves, but also because it would materialize and test some of the more abstract stuff from this site.
Reading the new year/decade predictions conversations, it struck me that effective treatment of outside content should be Less Wrong’s crowning jewel—the real proof that rationality makes good ideas.
We should discuss non-meta topics on non-meta subreddits. Maybe if you asked Eliezer he would turn on sub-reddit creation or make at least one. I would like both a non-meta group blog, a non-meta link sharing subreddit, and an on-topic meta rationalist link-sharing subreddit.
I think that the problems of scale and education these extra sites will create are not easy, but solving them as soon as possible is desirable.
It’s something we need to discuss more fully soon enough; I’ll make a top-level post to discuss it eventually.
This is an excellent way of saying what I wanted to say and asking what I wanted to ask.