Try Things

TagLast edit: Jan 24, 2023, 1:58 AM by Drake Thomas

Try Things is a mantra that reminds you to gather data about what works by experimentation. If a proposed intervention works and you learn that it works, you’ve just gained something that you’ll be able to use over and over again. If it doesn’t work, you’ve only had it not work once.

To the knowledge of one editor of this article, the phrase was introduced to the LessWrong community by CFAR, at least as early as 2016.

See also: Value of Information

Touch reality as soon as possible (when doing machine learning research)

LawrenceCJan 3, 2023, 7:11 PM

118 points

59 votes

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9 comments8 min readLW link 1 review

Things You’re Allowed to Do: At the Dentist

rbinnnJan 28, 2024, 6:39 PM

39 points

27 votes

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16 comments1 min readLW link

(metavee.github.io)

Just Try It: Quantity Trumps Quality

atuckerApr 4, 2011, 1:13 AM

88 points

78 votes

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83 comments2 min readLW link

You are allowed to edit Wikipedia

ChristianKlJul 5, 2021, 9:56 AM

38 points

38 votes

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64 comments1 min readLW link

Go Try Things

atuckerFeb 25, 2011, 6:23 AM

18 points

17 votes

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28 comments2 min readLW link

Evaluations (of new AI Safety researchers) can be noisy

LawrenceCFeb 5, 2023, 4:15 AM

132 points

61 votes

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11 comments16 min readLW link 1 review

On Blogging and Podcasting

DanielFilanJan 9, 2023, 12:40 AM

18 points

5 votes

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6 comments11 min readLW link

(danielfilan.com)

CoZE 2

alkjashFeb 24, 2018, 5:40 AM

16 points

13 votes

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7 comments2 min readLW link

(radimentary.wordpress.com)

Go Try Things

atuckerMar 3, 2011, 1:51 AM

14 points

13 votes

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1 comment4 min readLW link

[Question] What are things you’re allowed to do as a startup?

ElizabethJun 20, 2024, 12:01 AM

30 points

14 votes

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9 comments1 min readLW link

Things You’re Allowed to Do: University Edition

Saul MunnFeb 6, 2024, 12:36 AM

100 points

56 votes

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13 comments5 min readLW link

(www.brasstacks.blog)

Productivity tool: race!

wwaJan 16, 2014, 9:53 PM

43 points

36 votes

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16 comments2 min readLW link

No, Seriously. Just Try It.

lukeprogApr 20, 2011, 4:11 PM

93 points

81 votes

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42 comments2 min readLW link

Gifts as free exploration

willbradshawDec 3, 2020, 10:51 AM

33 points

15 votes

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2 comments6 min readLW link

(apomorphic.com)

What I Learned From Running a Pol.is Conversation

hamnoxJan 5, 2021, 12:14 AM

19 points

6 votes

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3 comments2 min readLW link

What have you recently tried, and failed at?

EmileJul 5, 2012, 9:52 AM

32 points

21 votes

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131 comments1 min readLW link

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