What is intelligence? It’s the ability to solve problems, right? We observe, we learn, we reason — and then we find the solution But what if someone found the solution WITHOUT going through this process? Is that person intelligent? Is that intelligent? It’s obviously not unintelligent — someone solving a problem Even if …
Tag: Intelligence
Truth Eventually Prevails Because It’s Useful
Truth eventually prevails because it’s USEFUL Self-interest is good because it at least requires calibration to a certain ideal Get it? The only problem we could ever have is if we DON’T EVEN CARE. Because then we can’t even AIM. There’s nothing to aim because we don’t care. And if there’s no aim — …
Criticise Ideas for Truth, Judge People out of Practicality
There’s this idea: to criticise ideas (not people) But it becomes difficult when it’s the PERSON that is the problem, not particular idea, that they’re conveying at the time How is the person a problem? Well a person is a set of characteristics A particular set of characteristics is more prone to give …
AI Hate Is Love Of Stupidity
There’s cognition Computers were already “artificial intelligence”. That’s what a computer is. It processes information Modern AI algorithms are a far more advanced, more general version of it NOT AGI yet, obviously, but far more general than ordinary computers, All that is INTELLIGENCE, all that is COGNITION If you’re stupid, you can’t be bothered …
Contrarianism Is Downstream From Being Right
Are you a contrarian? Or just a fool? The question to ask is: Are you MORE OFTEN RIGHT than others? If not — then you’re just a fool, aren’t you? Of course there’s the question of payoff Maybe your scepticism makes you unduly reject prevailing wisdom sometimes, And maybe it makes you susceptible …
The Software and Hardware of Mind
There’s a computational theory of mind Maybe it’s right maybe it’s wrong It’s cute, philosophically But isn’t it profound practically? Your results are downstream from your actions, which are downstream from your mind Isn’t your mind quite like a computer? We speculated about our nature since time immemorial But aren’t computers some of …
There Are No Gurus — Only Experts
There are no gurus Only experts We distrust experts Because experts are sometimes wrong, or corrupted What a joke It’s like distrusting air because sometimes it smells Doesn’t mean you should stop breathing Experts are still the best we have By definition, that’s what expert is — the most qualified, educated, capable person …
Engineer Your Models Of Reality, Or Stay Stupid
If you ever studied anything complex — you know it is necessary to gradually develop one’s understanding complex like physics, math, respectable chess ranking, Even less complex subjects you don’t learn overnight, like driving a car Why would your own ideas be any different? Ideas and opinions and views Why would they magically develop …
The Consilience of MAINSTREAM (Mainstream is Underrated)
“consilience (also convergence of evidence or concordance of evidence) is the principle that evidence from independent, unrelated sources can “converge” on strong conclusions” This also matches my observation about society, collective, the hive-mind, and leads me to the following formula: CONTRARIANS on average < MAINSTREAM on average < nuanced takes of intelligent informed …
Good Theory vs Shit Theory
Good theory is like an edifice Good theory is an edifice Bad theory is a juvenile fantasy It’s mashing lego bricks together It’s doodling a tower with crayons It’s a castle made of sand It’s a house of cards Good theory is a structure that doesn’t collapse How does a theory collapse? …