This post is an experiment in writing collaboratively with Claude. I described the core idea; Claude asked clarifying questions, then drafted using my previous posts to guide writing style. We refined it together from there. Suppose you’re choosing between two chocolate bars: the premium one costs three times as much but tastes noticeably better. Which should you buy? It depends on the actual prices! If they’re $5 and $15, maybe it’s not worth the $10 upgrade. However, if you find them on sale for $0.50 and $1.50, it’s probably worth the extra dollar for the better chocolate. Same ratio, different decisions. ...

My thoughts on whether I want to have children.

It’s Thanksgiving week, and I’m in Texas with my family. I’m so bored. I don’t often get bored at home. There, I keep pretty busy. I think that boredom is the feeling that I can’t take actions that matter. When I’m home, there’s always something I can do. I can spend time with a friend, or improve my space, or cook, or work out, or walk around my neighborhood and maybe discover something cool. I don’t always have the energy to do another meaningful thing, but lacking energy doesn’t feel like boredom. When I lack energy, I sleep or I unwind with a videogame or book, aware that I have other options but choosing to engage in something more passive. ...

The astute reader may have noticed that I’m substantially behind on my Halfhaven commitment. It’s not because I don’t have time to write. Rather, it’s because often, when I contemplate writing, my attention slides away and I do something else instead. I like having written, but I find the actual process of writing aversive. There’s a technique I learned from meditation that goes “if you feel resistance to practice, can you love the resistance?”. I’m going to borrow that technique here, and write a post exploring why I don’t want to write. ...

A trip report of a particular cognitive experience.

A party game!

Musing on being busy.

What I learned in my first day at the Center For Applied Rationality.

Jotting down some random thoughts.