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Comment by PaulingL on What does the world look like, the day before FAI efforts succeed? · 2012-11-17T15:31:27.271Z · LW · GW

I disagree. Certain landmarks will seem more important than others, such as intelligence 'tests', like the day a machine unequivocally passes a Turing test. In hindsight, we should be able to further isolate and identify those important landmarks that led to, or directly caused, the singularity.

Furthermore, historians being historians, I am quite convinced a date WILL be included in the history books, regardless of merit.

Comment by PaulingL on Checklist of Rationality Habits · 2012-11-17T01:50:31.378Z · LW · GW

This all sounds quite groovy, but are there any suggestions on how I could go about implementing them into my daily pattern of thought? I wonder if perhaps an Anki deck would have any merit whatsoever in accomplishing this...

Comment by PaulingL on Instrumental rationality for overcoming disability and lifestyle failure (a specific case) · 2012-11-15T04:07:18.058Z · LW · GW

I am aware of ego depletion. What am I not convinced of is that general work, in any area, will increase the time it takes prior to ego depletion. Could you perhaps point me in the direction of any appropriate research?

Furthermore, if this were true, why would it only apply to what you termed 'productive' and not 'consumptive' work? Would studying for a class not apply to this rationale? If not, why not? If so, wouldn't reading Less Wrong also help extend the 'time to ego-depletion'?

Comment by PaulingL on Instrumental rationality for overcoming disability and lifestyle failure (a specific case) · 2012-11-14T14:55:16.598Z · LW · GW

This is a clever idea, but could you provide more information? I see how it would make sense intuitively, but is there any evidence suggesting that doing any work, regardless of what it is, for a certain amount of time can improve performance/focus on a very specific task?

If I 'work' for forty hours next week on reading LW, it will have a direct improvement on other areas, say on how much school work I would be comfortable doing?