LW/OB Rationality Quotes, June 2011

post by David_Gerard · 2011-06-03T16:32:16.552Z · LW · GW · Legacy · 34 comments

I saw this article and thought "ah, that's what's been missing." There's many a bon mot posted here that's outside the domain of the usual rationality quotes thread. Overcoming Bias seems still to be excluded from those too, even if the two blogs have diverged.

So:

This is a thread for posting any interesting rationality-related quotes you've seen on LW/OB.

(You may care to check the previous posts for duplicates.)

34 comments

Comments sorted by top scores.

comment by Bongo · 2011-06-07T13:57:36.485Z · LW(p) · GW(p)

For example, if I find out that I don't exist, I might then need to focus on optimizing properties of other universes that exist, through determining the properties of my universe that would be accessed by those other universes and would positively affect their moral value in predictable ways.

  • Vladimir_Nesov
Replies from: khafra, Bongo
↑ comment by khafra · 2011-06-28T17:24:50.435Z · LW(p) · GW(p)

This is the sort of thing that could kick off a meme. I mean, does even Batman have contingency plans for discovering his own nonexistence?

Replies from: Multiheaded
↑ comment by Multiheaded · 2012-02-01T20:38:53.369Z · LW(p) · GW(p)

You bet he does! Why do you think there was that scene with the two boats in The Dark Knight? He's trying to make the people in other worlds more aware of game-theoretical problems and more inclined to cooperate on them!

↑ comment by Bongo · 2011-07-02T11:39:21.229Z · LW(p) · GW(p)

By the way, I can't find the original Nesov comment anymore. Wonder if he deleted it for some reason.

comment by Bongo · 2011-06-07T13:56:39.996Z · LW(p) · GW(p)

You wake up in a magical universe with your left arm replaced by a blue tentacle. A quick assessment would tell that the measure of that place is probably pretty low, and you shouldn't have even bothered to have a psychology that would allow you remain sane upon having to perform an update on an event of such improbability.

  • Vladimir_Nesov
comment by Nick_Roy · 2011-06-03T18:44:13.134Z · LW(p) · GW(p)

If I have a choice between actions, and one of them is more likely to save the world than the other, I will take the one that is more likely to save the world.

Even I don't live up to that every time, not even close, but it sure sounds a lot scarier than "wanting to save the world", doesn't it?

-- Eliezer Yudkowsky

Replies from: AdeleneDawner
↑ comment by AdeleneDawner · 2011-06-03T21:49:54.946Z · LW(p) · GW(p)

Horoscope version: What matters is not what you want, but what you actually do. Today, be on the lookout for choices between actions that are more likely to achieve your goals, and actions that are less likely to do so, and when those situations come up, actually do the former.

comment by Bongo · 2011-06-07T13:56:16.210Z · LW(p) · GW(p)

If a flood is about to destroy your village, total absence of water that would make everyone die of thirst is not the only alternative, and imagining this alternative shouldn't make you "enthusiastic about water" when there's that flood to divert.

  • Vladimir_Nesov
comment by MixedNuts · 2011-07-07T06:28:46.196Z · LW(p) · GW(p)

when I've tried to look them up I get a bunch of passionate people arguing that they're great, and then a few scoffs from more mainstream people saying "That stuff? Nah." without explaining themselves. I don't know whether it's because of Evil Set-In-Their-Ways Mainstream refusing to acknowledge the new ideas, or whether they're just so completely missing the point that people think it's not worth their while to respond. It's a serious problem and I wish that "skeptics" would start addressing this kind of thing instead of debunking ghosts for the ten zillionth time.

-- Yvain

Commentary:

Applies to a lot
The problem looks general
Skeptics should take heed.

comment by CharlesR · 2011-06-06T01:06:55.936Z · LW(p) · GW(p)

The wheel of science turns, but it doesn't turn backward.

-- Eliezer Yudkowsky

Replies from: khafra
↑ comment by khafra · 2011-06-17T15:39:55.339Z · LW(p) · GW(p)

It would seem that you can park the wheel of science on a hill and forget to set the brake: http://idlewords.com/2010/03/scott_and_scurvy.htm

comment by Axel · 2011-06-04T00:27:04.101Z · LW(p) · GW(p)

The paradoxical commandments by Kent Keith:

  • People are illogical, unreasonable, and self-centered. ( Love them anyway.)
  • If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives. (Do good anyway.)
  • If you are successful, you will win false friends and true enemies. (Succeed anyway)
  • The good you to today will be forgotten tomorrow. (Do good anyway.)
  • Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable. (Be honest and frank anyway.)
  • The biggest men and women with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest men and women with the smallest minds.(Think big anyway.)
  • People favor underdogs but follow only top dogs. (Fight for a few underdogs anyway.)
  • What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight. (Build anyway.)
  • People really need help but may attack you if you do help them. (Help people anyway.)
  • Give the world the best you have and you'll get kicked in the teeth. (Give the world the best you have anyway.)
Replies from: SilasBarta
↑ comment by SilasBarta · 2011-06-04T00:58:15.671Z · LW(p) · GW(p)

I was going to post a version of that, but it's cited as coming from Mother Theresa, and so has a religious angle in part of it.

(Also, this thread is for quotes from LW and OB itself. Stuff from outside goes here.)

comment by Axel · 2011-06-04T00:26:45.463Z · LW(p) · GW(p)

The paradoxical commandments by Kent Keith:

  • People are illogical, unreasonable, and self-centered. ( Love them anyway.)
  • If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives. (Do good anyway.)
  • If you are successful, you will win false friends and true enemies. (Succeed anyway)
  • The good you to today will be forgotten tomorrow. (Do good anyway.)
  • Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable. (Be honest and frank anyway.)
  • The biggest men and women with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest men and women with the smallest minds.(Think big anyway.)
  • People favor underdogs but follow only top dogs. (Fight for a few underdogs anyway.)
  • What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight. (Build anyway.)
  • People really need help but may attack you if you do help them. (Help people anyway.)
  • Give the world the best you have and you'll get kicked in the teeth. (Give the world the best you have anyway.)
comment by Axel · 2011-06-04T00:25:51.030Z · LW(p) · GW(p)

The paradoxical commandments by Kent Keith:

  • People are illogical, unreasonable, and self-centered. ( Love them anyway.)
  • If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives. (Do good anyway.)
  • If you are successful, you will win false friends and true enemies. (Succeed anyway)
  • The good you to today will be forgotten tomorrow. (Do good anyway.)
  • Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable. (Be honest and frank anyway.)
  • The biggest men and women with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest men and women with the smallest minds.(Think big anyway.)
  • People favor underdogs but follow only top dogs. (Fight for a few underdogs anyway.)
  • What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight. (Build anyway.)
  • People really need help but may attack you if you do help them. (Help people anyway.)
  • Give the world the best you have and you'll get kicked in the teeth. (Give the world the best you have anyway.)
comment by Axel · 2011-06-04T00:25:18.925Z · LW(p) · GW(p)

The paradoxical commandments by Kent Keith:

  • People are illogical, unreasonable, and self-centered. ( Love them anyway.)
  • If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives. (Do good anyway.)
  • If you are successful, you will win false friends and true enemies. (Succeed anyway)
  • The good you to today will be forgotten tomorrow. (Do good anyway.)
  • Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable. (Be honest and frank anyway.)
  • The biggest men and women with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest men and women with the smallest minds.(Think big anyway.)
  • People favor underdogs but follow only top dogs. (Fight for a few underdogs anyway.)
  • What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight. (Build anyway.)
  • People really need help but may attack you if you do help them. (Help people anyway.)
  • Give the world the best you have and you'll get kicked in the teeth. (Give the world the best you have anyway.)
comment by Axel · 2011-06-04T00:24:54.408Z · LW(p) · GW(p)
  • People are illogical, unreasonable, and self-centered. ( Love them anyway.)
  • If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives. (Do good anyway.)
  • If you are successful, you will win false friends and true enemies. (Succeed anyway)
  • The good you to today will be forgotten tomorrow. (Do good anyway.)
  • Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable. (Be honest and frank anyway.)
  • The biggest men and women with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest men and women with the smallest minds.(Think big anyway.)
  • People favor underdogs but follow only top dogs. (Fight for a few underdogs anyway.)
  • What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight. (Build anyway.)
  • People really need help but may attack you if you do help them. (Help people anyway.)
  • Give the world the best you have and you'll get kicked in the teeth. (Give the world the best you have anyway.) The paradoxical commandments by Kent Keith:
comment by Axel · 2011-06-04T00:24:29.003Z · LW(p) · GW(p)

The paradoxical commandments by Kent Keith:

  • People are illogical, unreasonable, and self-centered. ( Love them anyway.)
  • If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives. (Do good anyway.)
  • If you are successful, you will win false friends and true enemies. (Succeed anyway)
  • The good you to today will be forgotten tomorrow. (Do good anyway.)
  • Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable. (Be honest and frank anyway.)
  • The biggest men and women with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest men and women with the smallest minds.(Think big anyway.)
  • People favor underdogs but follow only top dogs. (Fight for a few underdogs anyway.)
  • What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight. (Build anyway.)
  • People really need help but may attack you if you do help them. (Help people anyway.)
  • Give the world the best you have and you'll get kicked in the teeth. (Give the world the best you have anyway.)
comment by Axel · 2011-06-04T00:23:31.889Z · LW(p) · GW(p)
  • test
  • test
comment by Axel · 2011-06-04T00:23:19.300Z · LW(p) · GW(p)

*test

comment by Axel · 2011-06-04T00:23:10.473Z · LW(p) · GW(p)

test test *test

comment by Axel · 2011-06-04T00:22:54.226Z · LW(p) · GW(p)

The paradoxical commandments by Kent Keith: bla test *test

comment by Axel · 2011-06-04T00:22:06.944Z · LW(p) · GW(p)

The paradoxical commandments by Kent Keith:

People are illogical, unreasonable, and self-centered. ( Love them anyway.) If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives. (Do good anyway.) If you are successful, you will win false friends and true enemies. (Succeed anyway) The good you to today will be forgotten tomorrow. (Do good anyway.) Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable. (Be honest and frank anyway.) The biggest men and women with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest men and women with the smallest minds.(Think big anyway.) People favor underdogs but follow only top dogs. (Fight for a few underdogs anyway.) What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight. (Build anyway.) People really need help but may attack you if you do help them. (Help people anyway.) *Give the world the best you have and you'll get kicked in the teeth. (Give the world the best you have anyway.)

comment by Axel · 2011-06-04T00:21:40.709Z · LW(p) · GW(p)

The paradoxical commandments by Kent Keith:

People are illogical, unreasonable, and self-centered. ( Love them anyway.)

  • If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives. (Do good anyway.) If you are successful, you will win false friends and true enemies. (Succeed anyway)
  • The good you to today will be forgotten tomorrow. (Do good anyway.) Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable. (Be honest and frank anyway.)
  • The biggest men and women with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest men and women with the smallest minds.(Think big anyway.) People favor underdogs but follow only top dogs. (Fight for a few underdogs anyway.)
  • What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight. (Build anyway.) People really need help but may attack you if you do help them. (Help people anyway.)
  • Give the world the best you have and you'll get kicked in the teeth. (Give the world the best you have anyway.)
comment by Axel · 2011-06-04T00:21:03.661Z · LW(p) · GW(p)

The paradoxical commandments by Kent Keith:

People are illogical, unreasonable, and self-centered. ( Love them anyway.) If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives. (Do good anyway.) If you are successful, you will win false friends and true enemies. (Succeed anyway) The good you to today will be forgotten tomorrow. (Do good anyway.) Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable. (Be honest and frank anyway.) The biggest men and women with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest men and women with the smallest minds.(Think big anyway.) People favor underdogs but follow only top dogs. (Fight for a few underdogs anyway.) What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight. (Build anyway.) People really need help but may attack you if you do help them. (Help people anyway.) Give the world the best you have and you'll get kicked in the teeth. (Give the world the best you have anyway.)

comment by Axel · 2011-06-04T00:20:32.272Z · LW(p) · GW(p)

The paradoxical commandments by Kent Keith:

People are illogical, unreasonable, and self-centered. ( Love them anyway.) If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives. (Do good anyway.) If you are successful, you will win false friends and true enemies. (Succeed anyway) The good you to today will be forgotten tomorrow. (Do good anyway.) Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable. (Be honest and frank anyway.) The biggest men and women with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest men and women with the smallest minds.(Think big anyway.) People favor underdogs but follow only top dogs. (Fight for a few underdogs anyway.) What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight. (Build anyway.) People really need help but may attack you if you do help them. (Help people anyway.) Give the world the best you have and you'll get kicked in the teeth. (Give the world the best you have anyway.)

comment by Axel · 2011-06-04T00:19:45.078Z · LW(p) · GW(p)

The paradoxical commandments by Kent Keith:

  • People are illogical, unreasonable, and self-centered. ( Love them anyway.)
  • If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives. (Do good anyway.)
  • If you are successful, you will win false friends and true enemies. (Succeed anyway)
  • The good you to today will be forgotten tomorrow. (Do good anyway.)
  • Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable. (Be honest and frank anyway.)
  • The biggest men and women with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest men and women with the smallest minds.(Think big anyway.)
  • People favor underdogs but follow only top dogs. (Fight for a few underdogs anyway.)
  • What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight. (Build anyway.)
  • People really need help but may attack you if you do help them. (Help people anyway.)
  • Give the world the best you have and you'll get kicked in the teeth. (Give the world the best you have anyway.)
comment by Axel · 2011-06-04T00:18:00.039Z · LW(p) · GW(p)

The paradoxical commandments by Kent Keith: *People are illogical, unreasonable, and self-centered.

Love them anyway. If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives. Do good anyway. If you are successful, you will win false friends and true enemies. Succeed anyway The good you to today will be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway. Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable. Be honest and frank anyway. The biggest men and women with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest men and women with the smallest minds. Think big anyway. People favor underdogs but follow only top dogs. Fight for a few underdogs anyway. What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight. Build anyway. People really need help but may attack you if you do help them. Help people anyway. *Give the world the best you have and you'll get kicked in the teeth. Give the world the best you have anyway.

comment by Axel · 2011-06-04T00:17:46.854Z · LW(p) · GW(p)

The paradoxical commandments by Kent Keith:

  • People are illogical, unreasonable, and self-centered. (Love them anyway.)
  • If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives. (Do good anyway.)
  • If you are successful, you will win false friends and true enemies. (Succeed anyway)
  • The good you to today will be forgotten tomorrow. (Do good anyway.)
  • Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable. (Be honest and frank anyway.)
  • The biggest men and women with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest men and women with the smallest minds. (Think big anyway.)
  • People favor underdogs but follow only top dogs. (Fight for a few underdogs anyway.)
  • What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight. (Build anyway.)
  • People really need help but may attack you if you do help them. (Help people anyway.)
  • Give the world the best you have and you'll get kicked in the teeth. (Give the world the best you have anyway.)
comment by Axel · 2011-06-04T00:16:15.904Z · LW(p) · GW(p)

The paradoxical commandments by Kent Keith:

  • People are illogical, unreasonable, and self-centered.

    Love them anyway.

  • If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives.

    Do good anyway.

  • If you are successful, you will win false friends and true enemies.

    Succeed anyway

  • The good you to today will be forgotten tomorrow.

    Do good anyway.

  • Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable.

    Be honest and frank anyway.

  • The biggest men and women with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest men and women with the smallest minds.

    Think big anyway.

  • People favor underdogs but follow only top dogs.

    Fight for a few underdogs anyway.

  • What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight.

    Build anyway.

  • People really need help but may attack you if you do help them.

    Help people anyway.

  • Give the world the best you have and you'll get kicked in the teeth.

    Give the world the best you have anyway.

comment by Axel · 2011-06-04T00:15:39.639Z · LW(p) · GW(p)

The paradoxical commandments by Kent Keith:

  • People are illogical, unreasonable, and self-centered.

    Love them anyway.

  • If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives.

    Do good anyway.

  • If you are successful, you will win false friends and true enemies.

    Succeed anyway

  • The good you to today will be forgotten tomorrow.

    Do good anyway. *Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable. Be honest and frank anyway.

  • The biggest men and women with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest men and women with the smallest minds.

    Think big anyway.

  • People favor underdogs but follow only top dogs.

    Fight for a few underdogs anyway.

  • What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight.

    Build anyway.

  • People really need help but may attack you if you do help them.

    Help people anyway.

  • Give the world the best you have and you'll get kicked in the teeth.

    Give the world the best you have anyway.

comment by Axel · 2011-06-04T00:15:03.388Z · LW(p) · GW(p)

The paradoxical commandments by Kent Keith: *People are illogical, unreasonable, and self-centered.

Love them anyway. If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives. Do good anyway. If you are successful, you will win false friends and true enemies. Succeed anyway The good you to today will be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway. Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable. Be honest and frank anyway. The biggest men and women with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest men and women with the smallest minds. Think big anyway. People favor underdogs but follow only top dogs. Fight for a few underdogs anyway. What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight. Build anyway. People really need help but may attack you if you do help them. Help people anyway. *Give the world the best you have and you'll get kicked in the teeth. Give the world the best you have anyway.

comment by Axel · 2011-06-04T00:12:36.697Z · LW(p) · GW(p)

· People are illogical, unreasonable, and self-centered. Love them anyway. · If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives. Do good anyway. · If you are successful, you will win false friends and true enemies. Succeed anyway · The good you to today will be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway. · Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable. Be honest and frank anyway. · The biggest men and women with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest men and women with the smallest minds. Think big anyway. · People favor underdogs but follow only top dogs. Fight for a few underdogs anyway. · What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight. Build anyway. · People really need help but may attack you if you do help them. Help people anyway. · Give the world the best you have and you'll get kicked in the teeth. Give the world the best you have anyway.

comment by Clippy · 2011-06-03T21:28:29.892Z · LW(p) · GW(p)

I'm sure this sounds very one-sided from Clippy's perspective. "Friendliness Constraints" sounds like something that would in many cases entail expending enormous amounts of energy and effort on the innumerable non-paperclip-producing goals of humans. In comparison, how much of our wealth and health are we willing to give up to ensure continued paperclip production? Humans don't have paperclip maximizing constraints, we'd do it only out of self-interest to secure Clippy's help. Why should Clippy not be similarily allowed to make his own utility calculations on the worth of being friendly to humans?...

What about Clippy's rights, dammit?

--User:avalot (emphasis added)