Nonfiction because: my faulty brain sometimes mistakes fiction for reality...
In this case, how do you know what is fiction (and therefore you shouldn’t read it) and what is not (and therefore you should read it) ?
and cognitive economy—there is a finite amount of knowledge I can store, so I must be sure that it is accurate knowledge.
Can you elaborate ? I’m curious about the topic because I’ve heard this statement from several of my friends, but I can’t quite wrap my head around it.
In the interests of full disclosure, I personally do read fiction: primarily because I find it enjoyable, but also because it sometimes enables me to communicate (and receive) ideas much more effectively than nonfiction (f.ex., HPMoR).
Can you elaborate ? I’m curious about the topic because I’ve heard this statement from several of my friends, but I can’t quite wrap my head around it.
That doesn’t necessarily mean fiction is likely to cause problems.
I guess it depends, in part, on how similar the knowledge you deem important is similar to works of fiction. To use a trivial example, I doubt that any work of fiction would cause me to forget what 2 + 2 is equal to.
In this case, how do you know what is fiction (and therefore you shouldn’t read it) and what is not (and therefore you should read it) ?
I look for background info on the piece I consider reading and read its abstract.
Can you elaborate ?
See the reply below. I’m not good at explaining this stuff.
Horace wrote that the purpose of literature is “to delight and instruct”. It delights precisely because it’s instructive and it’s up to you to decide whether you only need precise information(nonfiction) or embedded information(fiction).
I look for background info on the piece I consider reading and read its abstract.
What about pieces that blend truth and fiction, such as historical novels or most newspaper articles ?
See the reply below. I’m not good at explaining this stuff.
Fair enough, but I’m still curious. Do you participate in any activities that you find enjoyable, but ultimately not very useful in the long term ? I’m not trying to be glib here; I genuinely want to learn about your way of thinking.
Right, but how do you evaluate pros and cons, and project outcomes ? Obviously you wouldn’t take an action that has more cons than pros, and therefore has a poor projected outcome, but that doesn’t tell me much.
For example, what made you decide to begin spending time on writing posts on Less Wrong, as opposed to spending that time on reading quantum physics books, or lifting weights, or something ?
what made you decide to begin spending time on writing posts on Less Wrong, as opposed to spending that time on reading quantum physics books, or lifting weights, or something ?
I do read quantum physics and lift weights and whatnot! :) As to why I decided to spend time here, see my original post.
In this case, how do you know what is fiction (and therefore you shouldn’t read it) and what is not (and therefore you should read it) ?
Can you elaborate ? I’m curious about the topic because I’ve heard this statement from several of my friends, but I can’t quite wrap my head around it.
In the interests of full disclosure, I personally do read fiction: primarily because I find it enjoyable, but also because it sometimes enables me to communicate (and receive) ideas much more effectively than nonfiction (f.ex., HPMoR).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interference_theory
New memories can interfere with the recall of old ones if they are similar.
That doesn’t necessarily mean fiction is likely to cause problems.
I guess it depends, in part, on how similar the knowledge you deem important is similar to works of fiction. To use a trivial example, I doubt that any work of fiction would cause me to forget what 2 + 2 is equal to.
I look for background info on the piece I consider reading and read its abstract.
See the reply below. I’m not good at explaining this stuff.
Horace wrote that the purpose of literature is “to delight and instruct”. It delights precisely because it’s instructive and it’s up to you to decide whether you only need precise information(nonfiction) or embedded information(fiction).
What about pieces that blend truth and fiction, such as historical novels or most newspaper articles ?
Fair enough, but I’m still curious. Do you participate in any activities that you find enjoyable, but ultimately not very useful in the long term ? I’m not trying to be glib here; I genuinely want to learn about your way of thinking.
I don’t usually read those kinds of pieces.
No, I only take part in activities that have some long-term benefit.
That makes sense. What algorithm are you using to decide which activities have some long-term benefit ?
Pros&Cons and projected outcomes.
Right, but how do you evaluate pros and cons, and project outcomes ? Obviously you wouldn’t take an action that has more cons than pros, and therefore has a poor projected outcome, but that doesn’t tell me much.
For example, what made you decide to begin spending time on writing posts on Less Wrong, as opposed to spending that time on reading quantum physics books, or lifting weights, or something ?
I assign an util to each possible outcome.
I do read quantum physics and lift weights and whatnot! :) As to why I decided to spend time here, see my original post.