It’s unclear when my path to rationalism began. I was pretty smart and studious even as a home-schooled creationist in a very Christian family. Things started changing when I hit high school and left home school for private school. Dealing with people of other denominations and (Christian) theologies meant that I had to know where my own beliefs were coming from, and then my domain of beliefs-needing-justification expanded again when I was anticipating going to (and evangelising at) a public university. I took the Outsider Test For Faith and it took me from Christianity to atheism. The same process has continued in a feedback loop of known unknowns and “tsuyoku naritai”-style curiosity.
I discovered LessWrong through HPMOR and/or Commonsense Atheism (Luke Muelhauser’s late great blog), I can’t remember which. I’ve been lurking here for years and nowadays I check it on a regular basis, but I never really felt the need to create an account since most people here seem wicked-smart enough that I’m not sure I have enough to contribute. But I’ve changed my mind, the cent that breaks (plus my realisation that there was probably a selection bias going into my estimation).
My name is Dan, 25-year old white male.
It’s unclear when my path to rationalism began. I was pretty smart and studious even as a home-schooled creationist in a very Christian family. Things started changing when I hit high school and left home school for private school. Dealing with people of other denominations and (Christian) theologies meant that I had to know where my own beliefs were coming from, and then my domain of beliefs-needing-justification expanded again when I was anticipating going to (and evangelising at) a public university. I took the Outsider Test For Faith and it took me from Christianity to atheism. The same process has continued in a feedback loop of known unknowns and “tsuyoku naritai”-style curiosity.
I discovered LessWrong through HPMOR and/or Commonsense Atheism (Luke Muelhauser’s late great blog), I can’t remember which. I’ve been lurking here for years and nowadays I check it on a regular basis, but I never really felt the need to create an account since most people here seem wicked-smart enough that I’m not sure I have enough to contribute. But I’ve changed my mind, the cent that breaks (plus my realisation that there was probably a selection bias going into my estimation).
So yeah, pleasure to meet you all :)