Definition of “rationalism” from the Eggplant book draft. If you identify as a rationalist, I’m curious whether you find this accurate, and if not, why not?pic.twitter.com/2cvo7478fj
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Thanks! This looks interesting and I’ll read it after getting back from a hike :)
So, maybe the crux here is “Once you define distance there is in fact a shortest path through the maze.” If you make a bunch of ontological assumptions, then probability theory applies—relative to those assumptions.
But in most situations, probability theory doesn’t work well, because reality isn’t like that. For one thing, there are no utilons in physics, so there is no objectively correct definition of distance.
My point is not just about tools, it’s about Law, in your terms. It is not the case that decision theory is the objectively correct (even if unachievable) account of reality. It’s not a correct account.
I'm having trouble imagining by what stretch of the imagination you could call decision theory an account of reality and then declare it to be false. What does a universe look like in which decision theory is 'true'?
I misunderstood you as saying that it was a true account of reality (and not merely useful in practice). I guess I am missing your point if that is not the case?
I'm missing your point because I don't understand what it means for decision theory to be a "true account of reality", and hence I can neither confirm nor deny that I believe this to be the case.
Oh well. I guess we’re both talking past each other. It’s a bit puzzling. I can usually eventually understand other people’s worldviews, but I find yours unusually resistant :)
super interesting conversation. thanks for having it publicly. aren't notions of optimality (and models more generally) meta-tools... tools for understanding tools? (screen cap from longer facebook comment)pic.twitter.com/hAkN7Hge7x
Try replacing the word "Law" with the word "God" in your essay. You might have made the best case for Evangelical Christianity I've ever seen.
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