First post, so I’ll be brief on my opinion. I would say “it depends”. To communicate between people and even to clarify one’s own thoughts, a formal language, with an appropriate lexicon and symbols, is a key facilitator.
As for desirability of audience, the About page says “Less Wrong is an online community for discussion of rationality”, with nothing about exclusivity. I would suggest that if a topic is of the sort that newbies and lay people would read, then English is better; if more for the theorists, then math is fine.
“Use of gratuitous mathematical notion is likely to help keep it that way.”
Is that desirable? (Not saying you’re implying it is.) The community could probably benefit from some smart humanities types.
I was actually trying to imply that it isn’t desirable, so yes, I agree fully.
First post, so I’ll be brief on my opinion. I would say “it depends”. To communicate between people and even to clarify one’s own thoughts, a formal language, with an appropriate lexicon and symbols, is a key facilitator.
As for desirability of audience, the About page says “Less Wrong is an online community for discussion of rationality”, with nothing about exclusivity. I would suggest that if a topic is of the sort that newbies and lay people would read, then English is better; if more for the theorists, then math is fine.