More generally, if you want to talk in an informed way about any science topic that’s covered on LW (game theory, probability theory, computational complexity, mathematical logic, quantum mechanics, evolutionary biology, economics...) and you haven’t read some conventional teaching materials and done at least a few conventional exercises, there’s a high chance you’ll be kidding yourself and others. Eliezer gives an impression of getting away with it, but a) he does read stuff and solve stuff, b) cutting corners has burned him a few times.
Seconding everything that Rohin said.
More generally, if you want to talk in an informed way about any science topic that’s covered on LW (game theory, probability theory, computational complexity, mathematical logic, quantum mechanics, evolutionary biology, economics...) and you haven’t read some conventional teaching materials and done at least a few conventional exercises, there’s a high chance you’ll be kidding yourself and others. Eliezer gives an impression of getting away with it, but a) he does read stuff and solve stuff, b) cutting corners has burned him a few times.