There are many who do come to Lesswrong for fun, we shouldn’t discourage them in that I think Lesswrong should not stop doing what its doing. While yes a thousand flowers should bloom, they shouldn’t splinter off into oblivion. I propose we expand this community blog’s de facto function. We should make Lesswrong a hub for self-improvement, study and even research groups all open to each other for rationality checking. All clearly and transparently stating their goals and methods.
Martial arts is a wonderful metaphor for what should be done. Why not really make the first steps towards something like Elizers fictional Bayesian conspiracy? A large fraction of Lesswrong posters is convinced that we have just a few more decades of cramming to do before humanity faces its final exam. There are perhaps good reasons to believe we need to become more rational quickly. To do this we need to start setting goals. Concrete ones, let me start with a few propositions:
Isn’t the Social Arts (PUA-PU) proposal basically already a existing call to a project? Many posters have expressed regret at not understanding critical elements of game theory, compsci, physics, evolutionary biology, statistics and higher math in general. At least not the way they should. Some want to learn Lojban or Japanese.Why not make study groups that plan to get to expert or at least university levels? Let the group try, and regardless if it succeeds or fails to meet their objectives all observers and especially participants would learn something about instrumental rationality. The difference between starting purposeful communities or finding them elsewhere is those other group’s objectives aren’t explicitly about being as rational as possible in the process of reaching their goal.
Also what about research? Goals that interest us. Lets crank out some open source sociology or psychology papers with original research on bias or the various clever proposals of how the world may work or perhaps just how to make Cryonics more popular! or perhaps review existing stuff to figure out how to get that damn pseudo-science of nutrition in order so I can finally figure out if margarine is bad for me or how to help someone with research on his condition so he doesn’t face making the decision alone or just with the help of others like him who may not be dedicated to rationality? Anything that has a clear goal and can get enough people involved with to form a Lesswrong based team on it is fair game.
Tsuyoku Naritai! And to get strong I need to get down to work.
On a different note:
There are many people willing to invest more than just fun but aren’t really ready for work. Lets come up with proposals for them too!
I have in the past proposed translation projects for the major articles and volunteered my services for French and German, to increase the appeal of Lesswrong for people outside the Anglo-sphere as well as to help raise the sanity waterline there. Whatever you may say of translating non-trivial amounts of text, its not really fun, it is work, its easily broken down into smaller pieces. It won’t help the translator personally become rational, but its something to invest small portions of their spare time into.
There are many people willing to invest more than just fun but aren’t really ready for work. Lets come up with proposals for them too! I have in the past proposed...
The issue here is that this is a community. If you want something done, just do it! You don’t really need approval, or much support (unless technical skill or something is limiting).
I am aware that this applies to me. I have one pesky little thesis to hand in, then I’m good to go. Hold me to this.
Thanks for linking! I didn’t know we already have a study group! However I would first need to order the book, I look forward in participating with them in a week or two, however joining the book club half way is less enjoyable, joining a study group halfway through its course means more homework to catch up to.
Why not feature “University” or university of less wrong just as prominently as the Wiki or Sequence once we get more than one active group? When I check someones latest post and his karma, why not have information about which study groups he is a part of stand out?
I know if you want something done, one should just do it… however lots of people don’t have imaginations or will only join a project half way and I wanted to underscore that there are things one can do that are beneficial for the community without having to do the hard work of becoming more rational himself.
There are many who do come to Lesswrong for fun, we shouldn’t discourage them in that I think Lesswrong should not stop doing what its doing. While yes a thousand flowers should bloom, they shouldn’t splinter off into oblivion. I propose we expand this community blog’s de facto function. We should make Lesswrong a hub for self-improvement, study and even research groups all open to each other for rationality checking. All clearly and transparently stating their goals and methods.
Martial arts is a wonderful metaphor for what should be done. Why not really make the first steps towards something like Elizers fictional Bayesian conspiracy? A large fraction of Lesswrong posters is convinced that we have just a few more decades of cramming to do before humanity faces its final exam. There are perhaps good reasons to believe we need to become more rational quickly. To do this we need to start setting goals. Concrete ones, let me start with a few propositions:
Isn’t the Social Arts (PUA-PU) proposal basically already a existing call to a project? Many posters have expressed regret at not understanding critical elements of game theory, compsci, physics, evolutionary biology, statistics and higher math in general. At least not the way they should. Some want to learn Lojban or Japanese.Why not make study groups that plan to get to expert or at least university levels? Let the group try, and regardless if it succeeds or fails to meet their objectives all observers and especially participants would learn something about instrumental rationality. The difference between starting purposeful communities or finding them elsewhere is those other group’s objectives aren’t explicitly about being as rational as possible in the process of reaching their goal.
Also what about research? Goals that interest us. Lets crank out some open source sociology or psychology papers with original research on bias or the various clever proposals of how the world may work or perhaps just how to make Cryonics more popular! or perhaps review existing stuff to figure out how to get that damn pseudo-science of nutrition in order so I can finally figure out if margarine is bad for me or how to help someone with research on his condition so he doesn’t face making the decision alone or just with the help of others like him who may not be dedicated to rationality? Anything that has a clear goal and can get enough people involved with to form a Lesswrong based team on it is fair game.
Tsuyoku Naritai! And to get strong I need to get down to work.
On a different note: There are many people willing to invest more than just fun but aren’t really ready for work. Lets come up with proposals for them too! I have in the past proposed translation projects for the major articles and volunteered my services for French and German, to increase the appeal of Lesswrong for people outside the Anglo-sphere as well as to help raise the sanity waterline there. Whatever you may say of translating non-trivial amounts of text, its not really fun, it is work, its easily broken down into smaller pieces. It won’t help the translator personally become rational, but its something to invest small portions of their spare time into.
Yes.
Ahem.
The issue here is that this is a community. If you want something done, just do it! You don’t really need approval, or much support (unless technical skill or something is limiting).
I am aware that this applies to me. I have one pesky little thesis to hand in, then I’m good to go. Hold me to this.
Thanks for linking! I didn’t know we already have a study group! However I would first need to order the book, I look forward in participating with them in a week or two, however joining the book club half way is less enjoyable, joining a study group halfway through its course means more homework to catch up to.
Why not feature “University” or university of less wrong just as prominently as the Wiki or Sequence once we get more than one active group? When I check someones latest post and his karma, why not have information about which study groups he is a part of stand out?
I know if you want something done, one should just do it… however lots of people don’t have imaginations or will only join a project half way and I wanted to underscore that there are things one can do that are beneficial for the community without having to do the hard work of becoming more rational himself.
Edit: Another idea is for some study groups to work as a class and go through a “class” available on a site like this:
http://www.academicearth.org/courses/differential-equations