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Yes, actually. It's a theme that Scott is annoyingly fond of, in his fiction and non-fiction. Unsong is entirely about kabbalistic puzzles as you know. Scott an
by lyssa17 6y ago
Yes, actually. It's a theme that Scott is annoyingly fond of, in his fiction and non-fiction. Unsong is entirely about kabbalistic puzzles as you know. Scott and others before him were enamored with the ideas of Leo Strauss. You can read more about Strauss' ideology of hidden truths that only the brilliant and/or worthy can perceive at the link below.
Scott Alexander uses the Kolmogorov post to have plausible deniability for his discussion of "race science". There's a reason writing "HBD" was banned in the comments section and it's that it was giving the game away to too many people.
(discussion of HBD is not banned, it's simply not permitted for that string to appear - i wonder why that might be)
http://bactra.org/weblog/algae-2014-06.html#drury-on-strauss http://bactra.org/weblog/algae-2014-06.html#drury-on-strauss
Have you missed this post?
http://slatestarcodex.com/2017/10/23/kolmogorov-complicity-and-the-parable-of-lightning/ http://slatestarcodex.com/2017/10/23/kolmogorov-complicity-a...
- zozbot234 6y ago> There's a reason writing "HBD" was banned in the comments section The reason is that most people who casually reference "HBD" have no idea what they're talking about, and end up grossly misrepresenting the actual science as cover for unrelated ideas like ethno-nationalism or bigoted views about other groups. Tabooing "HBD" is a legitimate way of forcing everyone to unpack whatever it is that they actually have in mind; in many ways, it is the opposite of playing dog whistle politics.
- memexy 6y agoI don't know what HBD is, care to explain?
- zozbot234 6y ago"I don't know what HBD is, care to explain?" Yup, pretty much.
- memexy 6y ago> "I don't know what HBD is, care to explain?" > Yup, pretty much. How do you propose I respond to your answer? I asked for clarification and you replied with a troll response. How would you respond if I did the same?
- zozbot234 6y agoSorry about that. The point is, at least by now, HBD is a thoroughly confusing term that gets used in many, sometimes mutually contradictory ways. The SSC community has spent many years trying to handle the multiple sides of the many "nature vs. nurture" debates that are also referenced in OP's article, and ultimately decided that the 'HBD' term itself was not very helpful to that end. To ask for a "clarifying definition" of HBD given these circumstances is indeed rather pointless.
- memexy 6y agoOk. That's a reasonable answer and I recommend assuming good faith next time and not trolling.