BarbaraB

Karma: 368

BarbaraB Jan 17, 2014, 11:01 PM
−2 points
in reply to: drethelin’s comment on: Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality discussion thread, part 28, chapter 99-101
OK, I admit, maybe I do not remember canon as well as I thought. I am sure, Dumbledore made some RPG game there for Harry and company, Hermione had a mathematical puzzle there etc. Was the troll plot separate from that RPG ?

BarbaraB Jan 17, 2014, 10:28 PM
−2 points
in reply to: drethelin’s comment on: Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality discussion thread, part 28, chapter 99-101
“If quirrel can get a troll into Hogwarts...”

It was not Quirrel, but Dumbledore, who got troll into Hogwards. In analogy to canon, Dumbledore brought a troll to Hogwards as a training device for Harry and Hermione, see the book HP and Philosophers stone. In canon the purpose was fulfilled, because the children had some sparring with troll and defeated him safely afterwards. In HPMOR, the plot is reversed, because neither Harry nor Hermione fall for this training trap. When told they should NOT go to Hogwards basement, because the troll is there, they are immune to the reversed psychology. Rather, they reasonably decide to obey and not to do the dangerous thing. They simply ignore the basement. Dumbledore makes another try later by telling Harry once more NOT to go to the basement and NOT to use the Alohomora spell to unlock the basement door. In vain again. So the troll stays in the basement for a long time, until Quirrel unleashes him, transforms him to be sunlight-immune and uses him as a weapon on Hermione.

BarbaraB Jan 17, 2014, 8:47 PM
0 points
on: Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality discussion thread, part 28, chapter 99-101
Why everybody believes that centaur wanted to kill Harry ? It rather seems like centaur was disarming him. And it is even possible, he was under imperius curse (from Quirrel) while disarming Harry. He seemed to be surprised about what he was doing (looked up with widened eyes) and he apologised. I believe Quirrel just wanted to interrupt the conversation between Harry and Centaur.

BarbaraB Jan 10, 2014, 5:46 PM
5 points
in reply to: hyporational’s comment on: [LINK] Why I’m not on the Rationalist Masterlist
What if they visit the website and feel hesitant, whether the atmosphere is welcoming enough for them, considering all the HBD staff ? I do not imply we should censor HBD away, I am interested in it too. If there is some thruth to it, we will have to face it sooner or later anyway, taking into account all the DNA sequencing projects etc. In the world outside, I got yelled at for my interest a couple time, it is my interest to have clear discussion here, so that I know, where things stand. But, anyway, regardless of nature or nurture, all the data agree, there is a significant portion of intelligent individuals in all marginalised groups, and LW would very much benefit from them. If I only could express something like that, and not sound creepy… Some analogy of this: http://lesswrong.com/lw/ap/of_gender_and_rationality/

BarbaraB Jan 7, 2014, 6:46 PM
9 points
in reply to: [deleted]’s comment on: [LINK] Why I’m not on the Rationalist Masterlist
I respond to your guestion for the fairness sake, but my reasons are not impressive.
1. Most of it is probably a wishful thinking, driven by my desire not to have the powerful AI aronud. I am scared at the idea.
2. The fact that people have felt AI is near for some time and we still do not have it.
3. Maybe the things which are essential for learning are the same which make human intelligence limited. For instance forgetting things.
4. Vague feeling, that biologically based inteligence is so complex, that computers are no match.

BarbaraB Jan 6, 2014, 7:01 PM
−1 points
in reply to: John_Maxwell’s comment on: Another Critique of Effective Altruism

Prominent EA Julia Wiseman and her husband have decided to have kids.

I am glad to hear it, because they were the most annoying example for me before. Good for her / them.

BarbaraB Jan 6, 2014, 4:07 PM
10 points
in reply to: BarbaraB’s comment on: [LINK] Why I’m not on the Rationalist Masterlist
And note that Eliezer did not forbid pick-up art discussion and whatever You guys hold dear.

I could try and write a similar post as was that about women, but I am a small fish in this pond.

BarbaraB Jan 6, 2014, 4:04 PM
9 points
in reply to: asr’s comment on: [LINK] Why I’m not on the Rationalist Masterlist
Maybe I am naive, but, how about explicitly stating, by some high status member, that we would be very happy if they contributed here ?

Eliezer wrote the same thing about women. http://lesswrong.com/lw/ap/of_gender_and_rationality/ It was not exactly “Women, come, please” but it was clear they would be welcome to participate. It might have helped. Or maybe the increased percentage in the census result was due to something else ? How would I know...

BarbaraB Jan 6, 2014, 1:03 PM
36 points
in reply to: bramflakes’s comment on: [LINK] Why I’m not on the Rationalist Masterlist
In my experience, reading blogs from minority representants (sensible ones) introduces you to different thought patterns.

Not very specific, huh ?

Gypsies are the most focused on minority in my country. The gypsy blogger, who managed to leave her community, once described a story. Her mother visited her in her home, found frozen meat in her freezer, and started almonst crying: My daughter, how can you store meat at home, when people exist, who are hungry today ? (Gypsies are stereotypically bad at planning and managing their finances, to the point of selfdestruction. But before this blog, I did not understand, it makes them virtuous in their own eyes.)

This blog was also enlightening for me.

Would not it be nice to have such people interacting in LW conversations, instead of just linking to them ?

Especially for people intending to program friendly AI, who need to understand the needs of other people (although I doubt very much AI will be developed or that MIRI will ever really start coding it. Plus I do not want it to exist. But it is just me.)

BarbaraB Jan 6, 2014, 10:50 AM
7 points
in reply to: CAE_Jones’s comment on: [LINK] Why I’m not on the Rationalist Masterlist
Too narrow.

BarbaraB Jan 6, 2014, 10:41 AM
6 points
in reply to: ChrisHallquist’s comment on: [LINK] Why I’m not on the Rationalist Masterlist
What word would You suggest instead of eugenics ?

(Btw, I find it hilarious, having the discussion about inventing newspeak at LW, of all forums !)

BarbaraB Jan 6, 2014, 10:33 AM
4 points
in reply to: hyporational’s comment on: Another Critique of Effective Altruism
Peer pressure is a strong thing. I do not want to have a peer pressure of self-handicapping pathologically literal people on me, but they are EA mainstreem as far as I can tell. Therefore I want to keep distance from EA as “folks to hang out with”. I, for instance, hope that LW meetup groups in Bratislava and Vienna will remain sensible places for me to go.

BarbaraB Jan 6, 2014, 8:08 AM
8 points
in reply to: solipsist’s comment on: [LINK] Why I’m not on the Rationalist Masterlist

I have no idea what could be done about it.

Maybe invite blacks or other members of marginalized communities explicitly ?

Some time ago, Eliezer wrote a post, which made it clear he would be glad to see more women on LW. I thing his article was well written. Did any of You guys, the opponents of crazier versions of feminism, feel annoyed by that ? Later, there were other efforts to drag women here. (It does feel flattering, I tell You). Now, the percentage of LW women has grown slightly (lazy to look up the census result), athough we are still a minority.

BarbaraB Jan 6, 2014, 7:51 AM
24 points
in reply to: bramflakes’s comment on: [LINK] Why I’m not on the Rationalist Masterlist

Someone affected by the issue might bring up something that nobody else had thought of, something that the science and statistics and studies missed

Aye !

but other than that, what marginal value are they adding to the discussion?

Is that not enough for You ? Especially in some discussions, which are repetitive on LW ?

BarbaraB Jan 6, 2014, 7:42 AM
7 points
in reply to: fubarobfusco’s comment on: [LINK] Why I’m not on the Rationalist Masterlist
However, the EA subgroup will not force her into assigned-sex-based gender role. They will tell her it is comparatively immoral to have children. Another way the subcultures on LW are not overlapping.

As a woman, I am annoyed at both approaches, but I can cope.

BarbaraB Jan 6, 2014, 12:04 AM
10 points
in reply to: owencb’s comment on: Another Critique of Effective Altruism
But part of the strength of the (EA) movement is the message that people can achieve a lot without great personal sacrifice. I wonder where that message got lost.

Hm, are You asking why I did not notice that message, or why did it, objectively, get lost ? I will answer the first part, why I never noticed such a message.
1. Short after learning, that EA exist, my CFAR friend, who is dating an EA, told me about a disagreement she had with her boyfriend. He did not not want her to go her best friends wedding, because travel expenses and time spent could be used better. (Although he later admitted it was a half joke from his side). She also told me, he periodically scolds her, her temperament is too prone to hapiness, which makes her less understand suffering, which makes less incentive for her to work on preventing it. That was not a joke.
2. I had some shocks at the EA facebook group. OK, Ben Kuhn complains that EA fb group is stupid these days. I was told that supporting less than optimal charity is immoral. I translate it into examples, that supporting any Slovakian charity is immoral, because money are better spent on AMF. Supporting this baby is probably even more immoral than my favourite Slovakian charity. If the example involved my baby, it was immoral to have the baby in the first place. I switly left the facebook group, but after my departure, I saw an afterdiscussion, that what a pity we made Barbara leave, these truths should not be revealed to newcomers.
3. I spend 2 or 3 nights reading EA online stuff to determine, whether these interactions were outliers and came to conclusion they were not. Ben Kuhn does not convince me otherwise in his article. The article also confirms, that the pressure to have no children is felt by some. You may decide to have them, but the sentiment is :Aye, I am a sinner !
The peer pressure You get from these folks is overwhelmingly guilt inducing. I perceive the movement as self destructive and not sustainable.

BarbaraB Jan 5, 2014, 11:19 PM
0 points
on: Request: Interesting Invertible Facts
For women with pregnancies previously determined as “low risk”—is there any statistical benefit of choosing hospital for giving birth, instead of home birth ?

See here.

BarbaraB Jan 5, 2014, 10:47 PM
0 points
in reply to: Paul Crowley’s comment on: Request: Interesting Invertible Facts
A very good one. My first guess was correct, but then I just kept swapping my bets.

BarbaraB Jan 5, 2014, 9:21 PM
0 points
in reply to: Solitaire’s comment on: Why Eat Less Meat?
Sell this idea to Hollywood !

BarbaraB Jan 5, 2014, 9:19 PM
0 points
in reply to: Shmi’s comment on: Why Eat Less Meat?
It would still be sorry for the chicken.

However, I bet, somebody is working on it already.

In my previous research institution, they fed chicken with grain mixed with sand and afterwards cut the heads of and measured the concentration of happiness chemicals. The justification was, that these chicken breeds gain weight too quickly, which kills them before their age of reproduction. However, the farmers need to reproduce some of them, so they have to keep them half hungry, until they reach sexual maturity. The research was supposed to find out, whether the starvation is more pleasant with sand mixed into feed. Luckily for my mental health, I did not participate on this research. Duh, these memories make me shudder !