pedanterrific

• pedanterrific 27 Sep 2011 20:20 UTC

  62 points

  in reply to: Asymmetric’s comment on: Harry Pot­ter and the Meth­ods of Ra­tion­al­ity dis­cus­sion thread, part 9

  Random, low-confidence but possibly amusing prediction: in MoR the final obstacle of the third-floor corridor is called the Mirror of Vec, because it’s inscribed Noiti lovde talopart xet nere hocru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi.

  It’s much more thematic, at least.

  What links here?

  • Unknowns's comment on Harry Pot­ter and the Meth­ods of Ra­tion­al­ity dis­cus­sion thread, Fe­bru­ary 2015, chap­ter 109 by Gondolinian (24 Feb 2015 10:24 UTC; 1 point)

• pedanterrific 10 Sep 2011 23:14 UTC

  51 points

  in reply to: Xachariah’s comment on: Harry Pot­ter and the Meth­ods of Ra­tion­al­ity dis­cus­sion thread, part 9

  Missed opportunity:

  “I’ve been sent to help you, so please don’t be afraid. I am your servant in all things; for you, my Lady, are the last magical descendant of Merlin-”

  “That’s ridiculous.”

  (fleeting disorientation)

  “For you, my Lady, are the last magical descendant of Ravenclaw-”

  “I don’t believe you.”

  (fleeting disorientation)

  “For you, my Lady, are the bearer of a most marvelous destiny-”

  Edit: (Personally, I prefer ”—she felt a momentary sense of disorientation - ”; it seems a little more subtle, but I guess that’s not the effect he’s going for.)

• pedanterrific 18 Apr 2012 3:35 UTC

  41 points

  in reply to: linkhyrule5’s comment on: Harry Pot­ter and the Meth­ods of Ra­tion­al­ity dis­cus­sion thread, part 16, chap­ter 85

  No, no, the sand in the Time-Turners’ hourglasses is made of ground-up Playstations.

• pedanterrific 1 Mar 2012 19:41 UTC

  37 points

  in reply to: DanielLC’s comment on: Ra­tion­al­ity Quotes March 2012

  watch out folks, we got a badass over here

• pedanterrific 26 Mar 2012 0:58 UTC

  35 points

  on: Harry Pot­ter and the Meth­ods of Ra­tion­al­ity dis­cus­sion thread, part 12

  Let’s discuss Dementors. I was surprised to learn that a lot of people came away from TSPE believing in Harry’s initial hypothesis, that Dementors had no minds of their own and were controlled by the expectations of the people nearest them. To me, this seemed conclusively disproved by something Harry isn’t aware of: the fact that the dozen Dementors he scared away went back to their hundred-plus brethren in the central pit and thereafter all of them refused to tell the Aurors where Harry was, despite the fact that there were quite a lot of Aurors believing very strongly that they would.

  If there’s something I’m missing that rescues this hypothesis, I’d appreciate it being pointed out. At this point, I have to believe that whatever ritual (or possibly “law of magic”, if we believe Harry) creates Dementors also imbues them with at least some independent decision-making ability, and that they have goals which include ‘continuing to exist’.

  What links here?

  • RobertLumley's comment on Harry Pot­ter and the Meth­ods of Ra­tion­al­ity dis­cus­sion thread, part 12 by Xachariah (26 Mar 2012 19:18 UTC; 0 points)
  • pedanterrific's comment on Harry Pot­ter and the Meth­ods of Ra­tion­al­ity dis­cus­sion thread, part 12 by Xachariah (26 Mar 2012 19:45 UTC; 0 points)

• pedanterrific 6 Nov 2011 5:04 UTC

  34 points

  in reply to: Nornagest’s comment on: [link] Back to the trees

  I have no mouth, and I must bark.

• pedanterrific 26 Sep 2011 1:17 UTC

  33 points

  in reply to: lessdazed’s comment on: SIAI vs. FHI achieve­ments, 2008-2010

  ...how about Luminosity?

• pedanterrific 18 Dec 2012 18:12 UTC

  30 points

  on: Harry Pot­ter and the Meth­ods of Ra­tion­al­ity dis­cus­sion thread, part 17, chap­ter 86

  Now Mad-Eye Moody was turning slowly, always turning, surveying the graveyard of Little Hangleton. [...]

  Moody didn’t actually need to turn to survey the graveyard.

  The Eye of Vance saw the full globe of the world in every direction around him, no matter where it was pointing.

  But there was no particular reason to let a former Death Eater like Severus Snape know that.

  Some time later:

  “You see in all directions,” Harry Potter said, that strange fierce light still in his gaze. “No matter where that eye is pointing, it sees everything around you.”

  Oops.

• pedanterrific 11 Sep 2011 21:37 UTC

  30 points

  in reply to: wedrifid’s comment on: Harry Pot­ter and the Meth­ods of Ra­tion­al­ity dis­cus­sion thread, part 9

  One does not simply timetravel into MoRdore’s office.

  What links here?

  • pedanterrific's comment on [Funny] Even Clippy can be blamed on the use of non-Bayesian methods by lukeprog (3 Oct 2011 4:11 UTC; 0 points)

• pedanterrific 22 Dec 2012 20:24 UTC

  29 points

  in reply to: Joshua Hobbes’s comment on: Harry Pot­ter and the Meth­ods of Ra­tion­al­ity dis­cus­sion thread, part 18, chap­ter 87

  I’m referring to the competence. Canon Draco was a small-minded bully. Remember the Most Dangerous Student in the Classroom bit? Canon Draco made enemies every time he opened his mouth.

• pedanterrific 19 Apr 2012 11:46 UTC

  28 points

  in reply to: Will_Newsome’s comment on: How can we get more and bet­ter LW con­trar­i­ans?

  Classic Will_Newsome. Greenvoted.

• pedanterrific 18 Apr 2012 23:18 UTC

  26 points

  in reply to: Eliezer Yudkowsky’s comment on: Harry Pot­ter and the Meth­ods of Ra­tion­al­ity dis­cus­sion thread, part 16, chap­ter 85

  Aragog: No, I am your father.

  Firenze: No, that’s not true, that’s impossible!

• pedanterrific 16 Mar 2012 20:06 UTC

  26 points

  in reply to: LucasSloan’s comment on: Harry Pot­ter and the Meth­ods of Ra­tion­al­ity dis­cus­sion thread, part 10

  I don’t think they’re at that stage in their relationship yet, do you?

  What links here?

  • ArisKatsaris's comment on Harry Pot­ter and the Meth­ods of Ra­tion­al­ity dis­cus­sion thread, part 15, chap­ter 84 by FAWS (11 Apr 2012 12:01 UTC; 10 points)

• pedanterrific 24 Apr 2012 17:49 UTC

  25 points

  in reply to: chaosmosis’s comment on: Harry Pot­ter and the Meth­ods of Ra­tion­al­ity dis­cus­sion thread, part 16, chap­ter 85

  Was it this bit?

  “He didn’t have any choice,” said Harry. “Not if he wanted to fulfill the conditions of the prophecy.”

  “Give me that,” said Professor Quirrell, and the newspaper leaped out of Harry’s hand so fast that he got a paper cut.

  Harry automatically put the finger in his mouth to suck on, feeling rather shocked, and turned to remonstrate with Professor Quirrell -

• pedanterrific 28 Mar 2012 4:18 UTC

  24 points

  in reply to: Alsadius’s comment on: Harry Pot­ter and the Meth­ods of Ra­tion­al­ity dis­cus­sion thread, part 13, chap­ter 81

  Lucius didn’t ask if Harry could cast a Patronus, I could buy that. But Draco’s Patronus didn’t come up? Harry’s vow of vengeance against Narcissa’s killer didn’t come up? That whole thing was possibly the single most important interaction Draco and Harry have had, next to when Harry tricked Draco into sacrificing his belief in blood purity.

• pedanterrific 16 Mar 2012 18:31 UTC

  24 points

  in reply to: cultureulterior’s comment on: Harry Pot­ter and the Meth­ods of Ra­tion­al­ity dis­cus­sion thread, part 10

  Transfigure a one-atom line of antimatter through the earth’s crust all the way to the Wizengamot or Malfoy Manor, and then a small bubble there. His wand is then touching the item to be transformed, and it will work.

  Ten points to Slytherin for creativity. Minus ten bajillion points for holy shit, are you suicidal?!

• pedanterrific 21 Sep 2011 21:47 UTC

  24 points

  in reply to: Desrtopa’s comment on: Harry Pot­ter and the Meth­ods of Ra­tion­al­ity dis­cus­sion thread, part 9

  Yes, but… just for the sake of argument...

  Flamel is an inventor. And when assigning confidence in statements he makes about Philosopher’s Stones, you need to bear in mind that he’s the only inventor dumb enough to get caught. Anyone who independently invented it before him (or after) managed to keep it secret, that’s all.

  Or maybe there’s more than one way to create a Philosopher’s Stone and Flamel discovered the most difficult, so now he has an inflated idea of how hard it would be for someone else to duplicate his feat.

  Or possibly Flamel is the Dread Pirate Roberts and there’s no such thing as a Philosopher’s Stone at all.

  I’m not sure which explanation I like more, actually.

• pedanterrific 18 Apr 2012 6:43 UTC

  22 points

  in reply to: Will_Newsome’s comment on: Harry Pot­ter and the Meth­ods of Ra­tion­al­ity dis­cus­sion thread, part 16, chap­ter 85

  Object Class: Roko Containment Protocol

  But where would we get that many D-class personnel?

• pedanterrific 11 Apr 2012 1:43 UTC

  22 points

  in reply to: Eliezer Yudkowsky’s comment on: Harry Pot­ter and the Meth­ods of Ra­tion­al­ity dis­cus­sion thread, part 14, chap­ter 82

  I admit I’m kind of surprised. You thought you could have Quirrell give Harry a spelled-indestructible diary for no apparent reason and that wouldn’t be a red herring?

• pedanterrific 28 Mar 2012 4:01 UTC

  22 points

  on: Harry Pot­ter and the Meth­ods of Ra­tion­al­ity dis­cus­sion thread, part 13, chap­ter 81

  Lucius Malfoy’s eyes narrowed. “By the report I received, you cannot cast the Patronus Charm, and Dumbledore knows this. The power of a single Dementor nearly killed you. You would not dare venture near Azkaban in your own person—”

  Has Lucius not spoken to Draco in private yet?

  If he hasn’t… when he does, and tells Draco what happened at the trial, and finds that Draco isn’t surprised (or at least, not more than usual when it comes to Harry)… what will he think then?

  What links here?

  • smk's comment on Harry Pot­ter and the Meth­ods of Ra­tion­al­ity dis­cus­sion thread, part 12 by Xachariah (28 Mar 2012 5:30 UTC; 2 points)
  • pedanterrific's comment on Harry Pot­ter and the Meth­ods of Ra­tion­al­ity dis­cus­sion thread, part 13, chap­ter 81 by bogdanb (29 Mar 2012 23:07 UTC; 0 points)