Author, ladies and gentlemen of the comments: http://lesswrong.com/lw/kg/expecting_short_inferential_distances/
DeevGrape
Karma: 366
Selenium add-on for Firefox definitely sound more fun than waking up every 1.9 hours.
Thanks very much for writing and posting this.
Eliezer posted a Facebook status about the fundraiser needing more support, so I was going to donate $1000… but then I saw I would get a PrettyRational print if I donated $1500, so here we are :)
Hmm, that’s a good point. I can see how this might seem like a romantic/Marxist/anti-elite sentiment.
When I read it, I was thinking almost exclusively in terms of existential risk, the connection being that the end of the world (by, for instance, Unfriendly AI) won’t be brought about by a cruel mad scientist, but more likely by normal people trying to make economic and scientific advances without concern for the potential consequences.
Sorry if the quote doesn’t communicate that very clearly.
“I have thought for a long time now that if, some day, the increasing efficiency for the technique of destruction finally causes our species to disappear from the earth, it will not be cruelty that will be responsible for our extinction and still less, of course, the indignation that cruelty awakens and the reprisals and vengeance that it brings upon itself…but the docility, the lack of responsibility of the modern man, his base subservient acceptance of every common decree. The horrors that we have seen, the still greater horrors we shall presently see, are not signs that rebels, insubordinate, untamable men are increasing in number throughout the world, but rather that there is a constant increase in the number of obedient, docile men.”
—George Bernanos
I require a lower standard of living than most people with middle class incomes, so I don’t anticipate a problem in making my donation goals.
This extremely generous matching offer came at a fortuitous time for me, since I just succeeded at my master plan of becoming an effective altruist in Silicon Valley and doing earn-to-give for MIRI. $10,000 from me as well.
Awesome! I’m an appacademy grad and I definitely wanna make it. I may also be able to bring 1-4 people from my AppAcademy Dungeons and Dragons group :D
I took the survey.
I realized while answering one of the questions that the comments that I make for free karma are one of my main interactions with the LW website.
The moral tension of what Celestia was doing was well done. I found myself getting excited at how awesome everything was, and then muttering aloud about the “creeping horror” that was coming. I also loved the parallels to the AI-boxing experiments, except the Princess can argue people into boxing themselves.
Thanks very much for writing this! In lieu of anything specifically useful, I leave you with a small proportion of the warm fuzzies you provided to me :)
Just donated $500 (with the Singularity credit card, so it’s really more like $505 ^_^).
Hi! I’m in town from Tucson for the week, and I’m super interested in meeting some new LessWrongers. Unfortunately, I’m busy right at 7; if I drop in later, at 8:30 or 9:00, will people still be there?
Note, this one will go from 7 until 9 before I have to leave.
Also note, if you’re trying to find us, I’ll have an evolution textbook (red cover like this: http://www.amazon.com/Evolution-Douglas-J-Futuyma/dp/0878931872) and a stripey fedora.
I’m 550 pages into a genetics textbook that I’m reading on my own, which is something I never would have imagined doing two months ago. I’ve been experiencing success with TDT for habit formation (implementing flossing, fluoride rinsing, sunscreen, running, and taking pills) and using the pomodoro method to chunk my time. I also achieved my goal of creating a piece of fanart for HPMoR (can be watched/read on youtube). Tomorrow or Wednesday I’m going to receive my piracetam + CDPCholine + pyritinol (the nootropics I found recommended as a solid beginner stack). Tomorrow I’m meeting with a researcher to discuss a volunteer position in her genetics lab.
My success with all this has been crucially dependent on finding and recognizing cached beliefs and identities, like “I can’t get a cameo in HPMoR, my poetry isn’t good enough!” or “I’m a linguist!” or “Drugs are bad!” It’s intimidating how many of these I’ve found and how many more I probably still have to get to.
I think “super awesome” is a pretty high bar, honestly. Also, not sure who you’re asking about, but personally I’m more epistemologically skilled than all get out (though I’m no programmer).
I have no idea whether Berkeley or Tucson is better for being a PC.
I’m pretty sure this time works fine. I’ll let you know if that changes.
Me and an interested friend (both in Tucson) are planning to make the trip down (up?) for this meeting. If there’s anyone else who might be up for the carpool/road trip… hit me up.
My changes in fashion have been wildly successful. Hanging out with two separate friend groups the week after mini-camp, I was complimented repeatedly on how snazzy my new look was and how I was suddenly fashionable. They asked what happened and I said “I went to San Francisco!”
Even better evidence: I went to a bar with a friend last week, wearing a blazer, black slacks, nice shoes, and a decent T-shirt. We got stopped by the bouncer, and he said they had a strict dress code: no athletic shorts, no plain white t-shirts, etc. (basically my friend’s entire outfit). He said “This guy’s dressed to the core, and you’re violating the whole dress code!”
I’m maintaining my habit of studying Calculus on my own using Khan Academy videos, and have a no-money graph up on Beeminder. I’ve logged about 20 hours, in addition to Precalc videos (so probably over 25 hours), and with no calculus training prior to two weeks ago, I got a 53⁄100 on a Calc 1 final exam. So, not perfect yet, but certainly astonishing progress in my mind.
This week I went into a complete slump triggered by a hangover on Monday and a difficult piece of schoolwork with a flexible due date (creating a syllabus). I’m still procrastinating on creating the syllabus.
In addition to the ~$15,000 I’ve donated so far this drive, I’m matching the next 5 donations of (exactly) $1001 this fundraiser. It’s unlikely I’ll donate this money anytime soon without the matching, so I’m hoping my decision is counterfactual enough for the donation-matching skeptics out there :)
To the stars!