Harry doesn’t actually suspect McGonagall, but wishes to seem as though he does. As it’s a goal that’s a degree removed, he probably didn’t think it through a thoroughly as he could have. Especially with the stress of other issues weighing on his mind.
Whether anyone will pick up on that depends on their faith in Harry’s abilities. In general, I don’t think they’re so convinced that he’s supersmart, and capable of maintaining composure in situations where he’s under significant threat, that they’ll find it unusual. Hence, his actual goal (convincing them that he needs convincing) is achieved.
So, considering those two factors, I wouldn’t really consider it an idiot ball. Just Harry being human, rather than a hyperintelligent FAI.
Harry doesn’t actually suspect McGonagall, but wishes to seem as though he does. As it’s a goal that’s a degree removed, he probably didn’t think it through a thoroughly as he could have. Especially with the stress of other issues weighing on his mind.
Standard rationalization of an Idiot Ball: the character was intended to be not smart/distracted/making an error just this once. Usually author’s error. Even if actually not, this argument holds too little convincing power to be worth mentioning.
It could be author’s error. In fact it probably originates as author error.
But how much smarter than Eliezer do you think Harry is intended to be?
In order for something to be an idiot ball it has to be significantly stupider than the character is supposed to be. This mistake is not significantly below the threshold for Harry; it’s actually less stupid than his decision to go with Quirrel to Azkaban. Or his impulsive decision to boost his patronus up to maximum. Or his failure to consider the difference between flying a rocket and flying a broom.
Calling any failure in perfect rationality an “idiot ball” is accurate only when dealing with a perfectly rational AI.
If there should be an error, this should be decided by the author, not chance. Having a character make an error where they shouldn’t is equally an author’s error as having a character not make an error where they should.
You can’t improve the result by injecting randomness. This is a normative argument, which is distinct from a factual observation that the author can’t avoid errors. Even if in fact the author can’t avoid all errors, it’s still preferable to avoid errors where possible.
If there should be an error, this should be decided by the author, not chance. Having a character make an error where they shouldn’t is equally an author’s error as having a character not make an error where they should.
And this is a situation where it’s reasonable either way. Noting that Eliezer has a tendency to err on the side of making his characters too rational, except where necessary for the plot, rather than the other way around, I can guess that Eliezer probably intended that Harry not make an error.
However, Harry making an error here actually increases the verissimilitude to me; now that I know about it. It makes the plot-relevant errors seem less “idiot ball”* and more “Harry makes errors occasionally, whether the plot requires it or not”
*(in the sense of “this person needs to make a mistake in this scene for the story to go the way I want”)
You can’t improve the result by injecting randomness.
You can if the alternative is worse than random (ie. a character only making mistakes when the plot requires it)*
*and the only reason I believe this was a random mistake is that I suspect Eliezer of having that flaw. So, if Eliezer lacks that flaw, I expect that this was intentional.
Is it an error? The reply in McGonagall’s voice with Dumbledore’s voiced reaction is good authentication, he is after all still supposed to be under Quirrell’s guard, and trying to avoid causing suspicion.
Harry doesn’t actually suspect McGonagall, but wishes to seem as though he does. As it’s a goal that’s a degree removed, he probably didn’t think it through a thoroughly as he could have. Especially with the stress of other issues weighing on his mind.
Whether anyone will pick up on that depends on their faith in Harry’s abilities. In general, I don’t think they’re so convinced that he’s supersmart, and capable of maintaining composure in situations where he’s under significant threat, that they’ll find it unusual. Hence, his actual goal (convincing them that he needs convincing) is achieved.
So, considering those two factors, I wouldn’t really consider it an idiot ball. Just Harry being human, rather than a hyperintelligent FAI.
Standard rationalization of an Idiot Ball: the character was intended to be not smart/distracted/making an error just this once. Usually author’s error. Even if actually not, this argument holds too little convincing power to be worth mentioning.
It could be author’s error. In fact it probably originates as author error.
But how much smarter than Eliezer do you think Harry is intended to be?
In order for something to be an idiot ball it has to be significantly stupider than the character is supposed to be. This mistake is not significantly below the threshold for Harry; it’s actually less stupid than his decision to go with Quirrel to Azkaban. Or his impulsive decision to boost his patronus up to maximum. Or his failure to consider the difference between flying a rocket and flying a broom.
Calling any failure in perfect rationality an “idiot ball” is accurate only when dealing with a perfectly rational AI.
If there should be an error, this should be decided by the author, not chance. Having a character make an error where they shouldn’t is equally an author’s error as having a character not make an error where they should.
You can’t improve the result by injecting randomness. This is a normative argument, which is distinct from a factual observation that the author can’t avoid errors. Even if in fact the author can’t avoid all errors, it’s still preferable to avoid errors where possible.
And this is a situation where it’s reasonable either way. Noting that Eliezer has a tendency to err on the side of making his characters too rational, except where necessary for the plot, rather than the other way around, I can guess that Eliezer probably intended that Harry not make an error.
However, Harry making an error here actually increases the verissimilitude to me; now that I know about it. It makes the plot-relevant errors seem less “idiot ball”* and more “Harry makes errors occasionally, whether the plot requires it or not”
*(in the sense of “this person needs to make a mistake in this scene for the story to go the way I want”)
You can if the alternative is worse than random (ie. a character only making mistakes when the plot requires it)*
*and the only reason I believe this was a random mistake is that I suspect Eliezer of having that flaw. So, if Eliezer lacks that flaw, I expect that this was intentional.
Is it an error? The reply in McGonagall’s voice with Dumbledore’s voiced reaction is good authentication, he is after all still supposed to be under Quirrell’s guard, and trying to avoid causing suspicion.