Akrasia is already a huge problem for a lot of rationalists. If you increase the filter for which actions can be taken you are likely get less actions taking in general and might reinforce already existing akrasia.
Most rationalists have lots of problems and believing that the biggest problem is consistently lack of willpower is the sort of blinding optimism I spoke about in the OP. I don’t see why taking incorrect actions wouldn’t make akrasia problems worse, and at best they’re neutral because they’re not advancing anything.
When system I and system II aren’t aligned you get akrasia. When I read your post I imaging that you would classify cases where system II says one shouldn’t engage in an action but system I wants to engages in an action as making an error.
If you allow system II to censor system I from engaging in such actions I expect that you will get less actions.
This is a genuine concern, and this may be particularly high-variance advice. However, a focus on avoiding mistakes over trying new “superstrategies” might also help some people with akrasia. It’s easier to do what you know than seek some special trick. Personally, at least, I find akrasia is worst when it comes from not knowing what to do next. And while taking fewer actions in general is usually a bad idea, trying to avoid mistakes could also be used for “the next time I’m about to sit around and do nothing, instead I’ll clean/program/reach out to a friend.” This doesn’t sound like it has to be about necessarily doing less.
and I think “akrasia” is better explained by “rejecting the notion of a core self and considering how we are a multitude of competing urges and impulses.”
Akrasia is already a huge problem for a lot of rationalists. If you increase the filter for which actions can be taken you are likely get less actions taking in general and might reinforce already existing akrasia.
Most rationalists have lots of problems and believing that the biggest problem is consistently lack of willpower is the sort of blinding optimism I spoke about in the OP. I don’t see why taking incorrect actions wouldn’t make akrasia problems worse, and at best they’re neutral because they’re not advancing anything.
When system I and system II aren’t aligned you get akrasia. When I read your post I imaging that you would classify cases where system II says one shouldn’t engage in an action but system I wants to engages in an action as making an error.
If you allow system II to censor system I from engaging in such actions I expect that you will get less actions.
This is a genuine concern, and this may be particularly high-variance advice. However, a focus on avoiding mistakes over trying new “superstrategies” might also help some people with akrasia. It’s easier to do what you know than seek some special trick. Personally, at least, I find akrasia is worst when it comes from not knowing what to do next. And while taking fewer actions in general is usually a bad idea, trying to avoid mistakes could also be used for “the next time I’m about to sit around and do nothing, instead I’ll clean/program/reach out to a friend.” This doesn’t sound like it has to be about necessarily doing less.
and I think “akrasia” is better explained by “rejecting the notion of a core self and considering how we are a multitude of competing urges and impulses.”
https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/cbgKfAHSLz99zLzuR/stop-saying-wrong-things?commentId=yFrF2YH6N5Z73P4ZM