“CFAR update, and New CFAR workshops” by AnnaSalamon

Hi all! After about five years of hibernation and quietly getting our bearings,[1] CFAR will soon be running two pilot mainline workshops, and may run many more, depending how these go.

First, a minor name change request 

We would like now to be called “A Center for Applied Rationality,” not “the Center for Applied Rationality.” Because we’d like to be visibly not trying to be the one canonical locus.

Second, pilot workshops! 

We have two, and are currently accepting applications / sign-ups:

• Nov 5–9, in California;
• Jan 21–25, near Austin, TX;

Apply here.

Third, a bit about what to expect if you come

The workshops will have a familiar form factor:

• 4.5 days (arrive Wednesday evening; depart Sunday night or Monday morning).
  ~25 participants, plus a few volunteers.
• 5 instructors.
• Immersive, on-site, with lots of conversation over meals and into the evenings.

I like this form factor [...]

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Outline:

(00:24) First, a minor name change request

(00:39) Second, pilot workshops!

(00:58) Third, a bit about what to expect if you come

(01:03) The workshops will have a familiar form factor:

(02:52) Many classic classes, with some new stuff and a subtly different tone:

(06:10) Who might want to come / why might a person want to come?

(06:43) Who probably shouldn't come?

(08:23) Cost:

(09:26) Why this cost:

(10:23) How did we prepare these workshops? And the workshops' epistemic status.

(11:19) What alternatives are there to coming to a workshop?

(12:37) Some unsolved puzzles, in case you have helpful comments:

(12:43) Puzzle: How to get enough grounding data, as people tinker with their own mental patterns

(13:37) Puzzle: How to help people become, or at least stay, intact, in several ways

(14:50) Puzzle: What data to collect, or how to otherwise see more of what's happening

The original text contained 2 footnotes which were omitted from this narration.

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First published:
September 25th, 2025

Source:
https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/AZwgfgmW8QvnbEisc/cfar-update-and-new-cfar-workshops

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Narrated by TYPE III AUDIO.