ReImagining Liberty 096: The Irrationality of Rationalists (w/ Samantha Hancox-Li)
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Dec 23, 2025 Samantha Hancox-Li, a talented writer and game designer, dives into the intriguing world of Rationalism, tracing its roots from obscure blogs to its impact on figures like Elon Musk. She highlights the emotional appeal of rationalist beliefs and examines how their insular culture can lead to surprising, often strange conclusions. The podcast explores concepts like Bayesian reasoning, the allure of rationalist fiction, and the darker ties to fantasies of AI salvation. Samantha also addresses serious issues like sexism within the community, emphasizing its political implications.
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Rationalism As A Life Philosophy
- Rationalists combine Bayesian reasoning with a culture that prizes overcoming bias and thinking more clearly.
- That mix becomes an identity and a philosophy of life, not just a statistical tool.
Bayesian Teaching By Example
- The Sequences teach Bayes-style errors using concrete examples like medical testing.
- That method convinces readers by showing where they went wrong and how to fix it.
Bayes Converges Preferences Over Time
- Bayesian updating converges under certain conditions, making priors less decisive over time.
- Bayes comfortably handles uncertainty and probabilistic shades where classic logic struggles.
