It’s indeed nice to have a community that discusses decision-theoretic ideas, but a simpler explanation is that Eliezer’s writings attracted many smart folks and also happened to make these ideas salient, not that Eliezer’s writings improved people’s philosophical ability.
Attracting many smart folks and making some particular ideas salient to them is no mean feat in itself. But do you think that’s really all it took? That any group of smart people, if they get together and become interested in some philosophical topic, could likely make progress instead of getting trapped in a number of possible ways?
I think it’s always helpful when a community has a vernacular and a common library of references. It’s better if the references are unusually accurate, but even bland ones might still speed up progress on projects.
an easier explanation is that Eliezer’s writings attracted many smart folks and also happened to make these ideas salient, not that Eliezer’s writings improved people’s philosophical ability
Eliezer’s writings were certainly the focus of my own philosophical development. The current me didn’t exist before processing them, and was historically caused by them, even though it might have formed on its own a few years later.
It’s indeed nice to have a community that discusses decision-theoretic ideas, but a simpler explanation is that Eliezer’s writings attracted many smart folks and also happened to make these ideas salient, not that Eliezer’s writings improved people’s philosophical ability.
Attracting many smart folks and making some particular ideas salient to them is no mean feat in itself. But do you think that’s really all it took? That any group of smart people, if they get together and become interested in some philosophical topic, could likely make progress instead of getting trapped in a number of possible ways?
I think it’s always helpful when a community has a vernacular and a common library of references. It’s better if the references are unusually accurate, but even bland ones might still speed up progress on projects.
Eliezer’s writings were certainly the focus of my own philosophical development. The current me didn’t exist before processing them, and was historically caused by them, even though it might have formed on its own a few years later.