rationalnewsletter

Issue #7

Ultra-sensitive DNA forensic testing means you can pick up DNA from just about anybody // www.themarshallproject.org

# Instrumental

Everything I ever needed to know, I learned from World of Warcraft: Incentives and rewards // Said Achmiz, 11 min Favorite

A Self-Respect Feedback Loop // ialdabaoth, 3 min

What are Trigger-Action Plans (TAPs)? // Lulie, 5 min

Applied Coalition Formation // Michaël Trazzi, 2 min

Better Decisions at the Supermarket // Michaël Trazzi, 1 min

# Epistemic

Varieties Of Argumentative Experience // Scott Alexander, 22 min Favorite

Fuzzy Boundaries, Real Concepts // orthonormal, 8 min

Hypotheticals: The Direct Application Fallacy // Chris_Leong, 5 min

Advocating for factual advocacy // Jsevillamol, 1 min

Philosophy of Mind: Umwelt, Information, Value, and Information-Value // Will Lorca, 6 min

# Ai

Critch on career advice for junior AI-x-risk-concerned researchers // Rob Bensinger, 5 min

Saving the world in 80 days: Prologue // elriggs, 2 min Favorite

Open question: are minimal circuits daemon-free? // paulfchristiano, 3 min

Thoughts on AI Safety via Debate // Vaniver, 7 min

Looking for AI Safety Experts to Provide High Level Guidance for RAISE // ofer, 1 min

# Books

A Detailed Critique of One Section of Steven Pinker’s Chapter “Existential Threats” in Enlightenment Now (Part 1) // philosophytorres, 21 min

Radical Markets // Robin Hanson, 6 min

# Ea

Introducing the Longevity Research Institute // sarahconstantin, 1 min Favorite

# Culture war

On Gender and Emotional Support // squidious, 5 min Favorite

Predicting Future Morality // ESRogs, 1 min

Skip Value Signals // Robin Hanson, 2 min

# Misc

Affordance Widths // ialdabaoth, 3 min

Notes on Doing Things // Sarah Perry, 10 min Favorite

Terrorism, Tylenol, and dangerous information // Davis_Kingsley, 3 min

Turning 30 // Vaniver, 8 min

Tech economics pattern: "Commoditize Your Complement" // gwern, 1 min

# Podcasts

#29 - Dr Anders Sandberg on 3 new resolutions for the Fermi paradox & how to colonise the universe // The 80,000 Hours team, 81 min

083: Discussion of Moore’s Law and Optimism vs. Pessimism // Review the Future, 62 min

#126 — In Defense of Honor // Waking up with Sam Harris, 131 min

59 – Gettin’ Schooled // The Bayesian Conspiracy, 102 min

# Videos of the week

Science can answer moral questions | Sam Harris // TED, 23 min