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  Bart Vanderhaegen addressed criticism #3721.

From my article:

Isn’t the assignment of positive scores, of positive reasons to prefer one theory over another, a kind of justificationism? Deutsch criticizes justificationism throughout The Beginning of Infinity, but isn’t an endorsement of a theory as ‘good’ a kind of justification?

#3721·Dennis HackethalOP, 5 days ago

The criterion for HTV applied to 2 explanation is not justificationism I think. It allows to say explanation A is better than explanation B, which is equivalent to: explanation B is worse than explanation A. So it is a relative claim about an explanation, relative to another, not versus some absolute criterion of goodness. Similar to a crucial test (e.g. Eddington): we refute Newton's theory and keep Einsteins, that is not a claim about the goodness of Einsteins theory, that theory merely has survived, it has not gotten "goodness points". It could be refuted always later on by any better theory, in which case we would drop it too.

  Bart Vanderhaegen commented on criticism #3799.

Deutsch’s yardstick applies to computational tasks. It’s not meant for other things. It’s not clear to me that the criterion of democracy is a computational task.

#3799·Dennis HackethalOP, 1 day ago

Yes, the criterion for democracy is not a computational task, but an abstraction that constrains computational tasks. In the same way: the criterion for HTV is also not a computational task, it constrains the possible computational tasks that attempt to quantify HTV.

We understand computational tasks by being able to program them (as per Deutsch' criterion). But we understand criteria/ principles/ axioms/ theories ... (non computational tasks) in another way: by varying them and eliminating the variants that do not solve the problem the principle purported to solve.
For example:
a+b=b+a (in arithmetic) is a principle/ axiom that we understand by elimination of possible variants (a+b =/= a ... a+b =/=b ... etc)
but 3+5=5+3 is a specific transformation that should be understood via a computational task: adding 5 to 3 and then 3 to 5 and comparing both outcomes, via a program.

  Dennis Hackethal addressed criticism #3819.

I think I've compressed other activities as much as possible. With the current job, I don't think I can increase focus on research any further. The concerns are over the tradeoffs of leaving the day job (finances, impact to employability, etc.).

#3819·Tyler MillsOP, 1 day ago

FWIW, if I was hiring, and I was looking at a resume of someone who always ‘played it safe’ and was very concerned about what others think, I wouldn’t hire them. Whereas I would hire someone who takes smart risks and cares about truth over popularity, even if they have a resume ‘gap’.

  Dennis Hackethal criticized idea #3820.

A related idea is to become more disciplined with my time, getting more out of the off days.

#3820·Tyler MillsOP, 1 day ago

Discipline means arbitrarily favoring one conflicting idea over another. ‘Arbitrarily’ meaning favoring without resolving the conflict.

You don’t actually know which idea is better, if any, before you resolve the conflict. So siding with one before then is irrational.

Instead of practicing discipline, practice resolving conflicts between ideas and thus finding common preferences with yourself: ideas you wholeheartedly agree with, have no reservations about.

Veritula helps you with that.

  Dennis Hackethal addressed criticism #3821.

So far this has proven ineffective, though a skill which could be improved. However, questions remain for me over whether self-disciplining is good, in general, and where to draw the line between coercion and healthy structure.

#3821·Tyler MillsOP, 1 day ago

skill

Self-discipline isn’t a skill. It’s an anti-skill and irrational.

  Dennis Hackethal addressed criticism #3823.

This brings us back to our conversation about discipline. Maybe we can recapitulate here, or maybe best done elsewhere. Lots of things are excruciating, like homework and exams; should I not have done them? Exercise as well. There seem to be problems which can only be solved by maintaining other problems..!
Should suffering be avoided? Not if it's useful..? I'm still conflicted about this.

#3823·Tyler MillsOP, 1 day ago

Should suffering be avoided? Not if it's useful..?

Self-coercion should be avoided, yes. When we coerce ourself, we are not creating knowledge and instead arbitrarily favoring one idea over another. If a part of you disagrees that something is useful, then don’t do it!

You can always find a common preference with yourself. Problems are soluble. Do not act on ideas that have pending criticisms.

https://veritula.com/ideas/2281-rational-decision-making-expanding-on-2112

  Dennis Hackethal addressed criticism #3823.

This brings us back to our conversation about discipline. Maybe we can recapitulate here, or maybe best done elsewhere. Lots of things are excruciating, like homework and exams; should I not have done them? Exercise as well. There seem to be problems which can only be solved by maintaining other problems..!
Should suffering be avoided? Not if it's useful..? I'm still conflicted about this.

#3823·Tyler MillsOP, 1 day ago

Just because lots of things are excruciating doesn’t mean life necessarily involves those things. Life doesn’t have to be difficult in this way.

You can find a passion, have fun 100% of the time, and never coerce yourself. (That’s an ideal we can fall short of – if we ‘only’ have fun 90% of the time, that’s still infinitely better than dooming ourselves to a life we hate.)

https://blog.dennishackethal.com/posts/unconflicted

  Dennis Hackethal addressed criticism #3824.

I find this point irrefutable, aside from the risk being educated or calculated... Maybe it is those things...
What I would ultimately love to do is pivot into AGI research as a career, but when is pursuing that educated risk-taking vs fantasy?

#3824·Tyler MillsOP, 1 day ago

It would be fantasy/reckless if, for example, you were in your mid 40s, had a family to take care of, and had no savings.

  Dennis Hackethal addressed criticism #3824.

I find this point irrefutable, aside from the risk being educated or calculated... Maybe it is those things...
What I would ultimately love to do is pivot into AGI research as a career, but when is pursuing that educated risk-taking vs fantasy?

#3824·Tyler MillsOP, 1 day ago

Why does it have to be a career? You could try it for a year or six months or whatever. If you don’t like it, you switch to something else. That’d be fine.

  Dennis Hackethal criticized idea #3825.

The Fountainhead is on my list. Listened to ‘The Simplest Thing in the World’. One message seems to be that one's creativity will continuously resist attempts to coerce it into doing something it doesn't want. A will of its own. I feel such resistance acutely at this current job, more so but no differently than during previous jobs and assignments, as we all have. But what is the import of the story to the present debate? My creative muse will continue fighting me so long as I'm trying to steer it towards other things? I have no doubt. The questions here are over what is practical, secure and strategic, all largely in the financial sense--or so I think. Where does one draw the line between passion and security? Maybe there is no general-purpose explanation. I will continue reflecting.

#3825·Tyler MillsOP, 1 day ago

You didn’t mark this as a criticism, but it sounds like one. Consider revising your idea to mark it as a criticism. (No changes to the text necessary for that.)

  Dennis Hackethal criticized idea #3825.

The Fountainhead is on my list. Listened to ‘The Simplest Thing in the World’. One message seems to be that one's creativity will continuously resist attempts to coerce it into doing something it doesn't want. A will of its own. I feel such resistance acutely at this current job, more so but no differently than during previous jobs and assignments, as we all have. But what is the import of the story to the present debate? My creative muse will continue fighting me so long as I'm trying to steer it towards other things? I have no doubt. The questions here are over what is practical, secure and strategic, all largely in the financial sense--or so I think. Where does one draw the line between passion and security? Maybe there is no general-purpose explanation. I will continue reflecting.

#3825·Tyler MillsOP, 1 day ago

The questions here are over what is practical, secure and strategic, all largely in the financial sense--or so I think.

There’s nothing practical about working a job you hate. There’s nothing practical about fighting yourself.

Where does one draw the line between passion and security?

There’s no security in not pursuing your passion, and there’s no need to make this kind of tradeoff anyway.

  Tyler Mills commented on idea #3746.

Read The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand. That should give you some fuel to move forward.

If that’s too long, watch ‘The Simplest Thing in the World’

#3746·Dennis Hackethal, 4 days ago

The Fountainhead is on my list. Listened to ‘The Simplest Thing in the World’. One message seems to be that one's creativity will continuously resist attempts to coerce it into doing something it doesn't want. A will of its own. I feel such resistance acutely at this current job, more so but no differently than during previous jobs and assignments, as we all have. But what is the import of the story to the present debate? My creative muse will continue fighting me so long as I'm trying to steer it towards other things? I have no doubt. The questions here are over what is practical, secure and strategic, all largely in the financial sense--or so I think. Where does one draw the line between passion and security? Maybe there is no general-purpose explanation. I will continue reflecting.

  Tyler Mills addressed criticism #3763.

You’re young. Now’s the time to take (educated, calculated) risks. Even if quitting turns out to be a mistake, you have all the time in the world to correct the mistake and recover. You can always find some day job somewhere. But you may not always be able to pursue your passion.

#3763·Dennis Hackethal, 3 days ago

I find this point irrefutable, aside from the risk being educated or calculated... Maybe it is those things...
What I would ultimately love to do is pivot into AGI research as a career, but when is pursuing that educated risk-taking vs fantasy?

  Tyler Mills addressed criticism #3762.

You describe your job as “excruciating”. That’s reason to quit.

#3762·Dennis Hackethal, 3 days ago

This brings us back to our conversation about discipline. Maybe we can recapitulate here, or maybe best done elsewhere. Lots of things are excruciating, like homework and exams; should I not have done them? Exercise as well. There seem to be problems which can only be solved by maintaining other problems..!
Should suffering be avoided? Not if it's useful..? I'm still conflicted about this.

  Tyler Mills criticized idea #3774.

You could spend some time in a cheap country.

#3774·Dirk Meulenbelt, 3 days ago

Good thought, in general. But the dislocation would take significant time and resources itself. The current lease arrangement also cannot be exited without a heavy fee. I also moved recently, I would love to not do that again for some time.

  Tyler Mills criticized idea #3820.

A related idea is to become more disciplined with my time, getting more out of the off days.

#3820·Tyler MillsOP, 1 day ago

So far this has proven ineffective, though a skill which could be improved. However, questions remain for me over whether self-disciplining is good, in general, and where to draw the line between coercion and healthy structure.

  Tyler Mills commented on criticism #3782.

Consider your current balance of working and research.

Could you cut other activities, keep the job, and increase focus on research?

#3782·Zakery Mizell, 2 days ago

A related idea is to become more disciplined with my time, getting more out of the off days.

  Tyler Mills addressed criticism #3782.

Consider your current balance of working and research.

Could you cut other activities, keep the job, and increase focus on research?

#3782·Zakery Mizell, 2 days ago

I think I've compressed other activities as much as possible. With the current job, I don't think I can increase focus on research any further. The concerns are over the tradeoffs of leaving the day job (finances, impact to employability, etc.).

  Tyler Mills commented on criticism #3783.

How much time and energy do you really have for research while working? 1hr daily? 2 hours daily? 4 hours daily?

Leaving your job allows for the possibility of consistent high quality research daily.

#3783·Zakery Mizell, 2 days ago

Yes, very little time and energy for research while working, a handful of hours a week. The intermittence carries its own cost, I also find.

  Dennis Hackethal revised criticism #3813.

It does sound like Deutsch thinks all these different criteria boil down to being about hard vs easy to vary, see #3807.

It does sound like Deutsch thinks all these different criteria boil down to being about hard vs easy to vary, see #3814.

  Dennis Hackethal revised criticism #3807.

Not according to Deutsch. He says hard to vary is epistemologically fundamental, that all progress is based on it. For example, he phrases testability in terms of hard to vary (BoI chapter 1):

When a formerly good explanation has been falsified by new observations, it is no longer a good explanation, because the problem has expanded to include those observations. Thus the standard scientific methodology of dropping theories when refuted by experiment is implied by the requirement for good explanations.

For Deutsch, hard to vary is the key mode of criticism, not just one of many.

Not according to Deutsch. He says hard to vary is epistemologically fundamental, that all progress is based on it. For example, he phrases testability in terms of hard to vary (BoI chapter 1):

When a formerly good explanation has been falsified by new observations, it is no longer a good explanation, because the problem has expanded to include those observations. Thus the standard scientific methodology of dropping theories when refuted by experiment is implied by the requirement for good explanations.

He also says that “good explanations [are] essential to science…” (thanks @tom-nassis for finding this quote). Recall that a good explanation is one that is hard to vary.

For Deutsch, hard to vary is the key mode of criticism, not just one of many.

  Dennis Hackethal addressed criticism #3811.

Liberty responded (1:39:46) that that quote is misleading because it makes it sound like hard to vary is the only criterion people use when making decisions, which can’t be true. There are other criteria, like “consistency with data”, “logical consistency”, “fitting in with existing theories”, etc.

#3811·Dennis HackethalOP, 1 day ago

It does sound like Deutsch thinks all these different criteria boil down to being about hard vs easy to vary, see #3807.

  Dennis Hackethal addressed criticism #3811.

Liberty responded (1:39:46) that that quote is misleading because it makes it sound like hard to vary is the only criterion people use when making decisions, which can’t be true. There are other criteria, like “consistency with data”, “logical consistency”, “fitting in with existing theories”, etc.

#3811·Dennis HackethalOP, 1 day ago

The quote may be false, but I don’t see how it’s misleading. I’m not quoting Deutsch in isolation or cherry-picking information or anything like that.

  Dennis Hackethal addressed criticism #3809.

I’m not saying hard to vary is a decision-making method. I’m saying it’s an integral part of Deutsch’s decision-making method. As I write in my article:

He argues that “we should choose between [explanations] according to how good they are…: how hard to vary.”

#3809·Dennis HackethalOP, 1 day ago

Liberty responded (1:39:46) that that quote is misleading because it makes it sound like hard to vary is the only criterion people use when making decisions, which can’t be true. There are other criteria, like “consistency with data”, “logical consistency”, “fitting in with existing theories”, etc.

  Dennis Hackethal addressed criticism #3808.

Liberty said (at 1:38:39) hard to vary isn’t a method of decision-making. It’s a factor people take into account when they make decisions, but decision-making itself is a creative process.

#3808·Dennis HackethalOP, 1 day ago

I’m fine allowing user input to sidestep the creativity problem, see #3802.