I agree it’s fine if people post other-optimizing replies, and that it is good to do here. It’s warned against in general because people tend to do it too much, even considering how very similar humans are to each other. That doesn’t mean that it’s bad, just that there is a reliable heuristic to place a weight on one side of the balance when others ask for advice.
The method of other optimizing breaks down the more individualized the relevant preferences are, and here I’ve been very willing to classify people as largely belonging to one or another group—I was trying to point out what there is to be learned from people other optimizing; it has made me think of what I hadn’t previously, that people tend to either prefer their science in hands on or abstract book form, and that this is a very important thing to know.
But before I can, I’m just looking for brainstorming/advice. I don’t see why that is an issue worth nitpicking over its rational appropriateness.
I think it is appropriate for people to say what they think benefited them and then look for patterns in their responses. That means that I do find it worth considering it’s appropriateness, but I am judging it perfectly fine in this context.
Basically, other optimizing was meant to be descriptive rather than a slur. For this same sort of reason I criticized using “rational” in the title, because its use like that is a step towards making it a simple compliment rather than a meaty descriptive word.
I’m sorry, I haven’t communicated clearly.
I agree it’s fine if people post other-optimizing replies, and that it is good to do here. It’s warned against in general because people tend to do it too much, even considering how very similar humans are to each other. That doesn’t mean that it’s bad, just that there is a reliable heuristic to place a weight on one side of the balance when others ask for advice.
The method of other optimizing breaks down the more individualized the relevant preferences are, and here I’ve been very willing to classify people as largely belonging to one or another group—I was trying to point out what there is to be learned from people other optimizing; it has made me think of what I hadn’t previously, that people tend to either prefer their science in hands on or abstract book form, and that this is a very important thing to know.
I think it is appropriate for people to say what they think benefited them and then look for patterns in their responses. That means that I do find it worth considering it’s appropriateness, but I am judging it perfectly fine in this context.
Basically, other optimizing was meant to be descriptive rather than a slur. For this same sort of reason I criticized using “rational” in the title, because its use like that is a step towards making it a simple compliment rather than a meaty descriptive word.