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Stupid Questions April 2015
monsterzero10y20

Our culture typically presents rationality as opposed to emotion; I believe that a disproportionate number of misanthropes are drawn to rationality for that reason.

However, logic is meaningless without having an underlying goal, and goals are generally determined by one's emotions. What are your goals?

I find that thinking of other people as inferior or irrational is not particularly helpful in accomplishing my objectives. I feel less stress and make more progress by recognizing that other people have different goals than I do.

It is possible to get others (even "irrational" others) to help you accomplish your goals by offering to help them with theirs.

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[FINAL CHAPTER] Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality discussion thread, March 2015, chapter 122
monsterzero10y80

Yes, it would have been nice to see Hermione really start to fulfill her badass potential. But this was a pretty good place to end the story.

Trolls are bald, and I don't know if they have fingernails. If they do, then there's probably a set length up to which troll nails will regenerate without further growth.

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Rationality Quotes October 2013
monsterzero12y50

boss: what’s your greatest weakness?

guy: i’m bad at giving rhymed answers to questions.

I am so stealing that for my next job interview.

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Rationality Quotes October 2013
monsterzero12y110

Human consciousness isn't optimized for anything, except maybe helping feral hominids survive in the wild.

-Charles Stross, "Rule 34"

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Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality discussion thread, part 27, chapter 98
monsterzero12y50

If Harry can figure out how to reverse a Time-Turner and send Hermione's body into the future, he doesn't need cryonics. And there's no worry about paradoxes, so possibly the six-hour limit wouldn't apply.

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Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality discussion thread, part 26, chapter 97
monsterzero12y80

I wasn't thinking particularly about recent events. If Harry wanted to unravel the secrets of magic, he should have been interviewing goblins and house elves since he learned they existed. Hagrid would have been another good lead, as he could potentially be networked to allow introductions to centaurs, giants, etc.

Asking Draco about Dumbledore has yielded some really interesting new hypotheses. More viewpoints = more data!

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Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality discussion thread, part 26, chapter 97
monsterzero12y20

Thank you for that link. I particularly enjoyed reading about "Azidoazide Azides, More Or Less".

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Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality discussion thread, part 26, chapter 97
monsterzero12y220

Even if the other humanoid races are essentially human, it seems like Harry should be talking to them more. Getting different viewpoints and information could be incredibly helpful. If the differences are primarily cultural, well, there can be an awful lot of variation between cultures. Not to mention the differences in magical ability and techniques.

Of course, in canon, Harry didn't catch on to this until the fourth year or so.

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Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality discussion thread, part 26, chapter 97
monsterzero12y00

Fulminated mercury.

Edited to add: Sorry, been rewatching old Breaking Bad. You'd have to trick them into chewing it or something, wouldn't you?

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Rationality Quotes August 2013
monsterzero12y150

http://pbfcomics.com/72/

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