Hey thanks! Going through a catalog is awesome. Reading so much McCarthy was one of the greatest aesthetic experiences of my life.
I’ll be quick on the animal book: it’s just an incoherent, unpolished mess. Some good ideas in the rough but too many cliches, poorly digested science, and half baked musings.
On IABIED: I compare it to Jacobsen’s *Nuclear War*, another bad book on an extremely important issue. This one displays an ironic (for ‘rationalists’) inability to update core beliefs in light of evidence; bizarre fables in lieu of arguments; condescension and insularity. It’s poorly written and will only convince fellow doomers, who will find no new arguments in the book, while convincing exactly no one in the general public. Like I said, important issue, which is why it’s such a shame to leave it to these people. Toby Ord’s *The Precipice* (on x risks generally) was so much better. Bits from Bostrom’s *Superintelligence* I read, too.
So cool that you read so much McCarthy! I love going through someone's catalog like that, though it feels like ages since I've done it.
Also, I can't help but be intrigued by your anti-recommended list...
Hey thanks! Going through a catalog is awesome. Reading so much McCarthy was one of the greatest aesthetic experiences of my life.
I’ll be quick on the animal book: it’s just an incoherent, unpolished mess. Some good ideas in the rough but too many cliches, poorly digested science, and half baked musings.
On IABIED: I compare it to Jacobsen’s *Nuclear War*, another bad book on an extremely important issue. This one displays an ironic (for ‘rationalists’) inability to update core beliefs in light of evidence; bizarre fables in lieu of arguments; condescension and insularity. It’s poorly written and will only convince fellow doomers, who will find no new arguments in the book, while convincing exactly no one in the general public. Like I said, important issue, which is why it’s such a shame to leave it to these people. Toby Ord’s *The Precipice* (on x risks generally) was so much better. Bits from Bostrom’s *Superintelligence* I read, too.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts! I wish I could use fables in my books…
No one’s stopping you. I’m certain they’ll be much better.