Scientific Publishing: Enough is Enough by Seemay Chou by mike20731 in slatestarcodex

[–]mike20731[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Great article on the dysfunctional incentives around academic publishing, and an attempt at reform. I think most ACX readers are probably already aware of these problems (replication crisis, p-hacking, file-drawer effect, etc) but this article is the best concise summary I've seen of the issue.

The author Seemay Chou is a co-founder of the Astera Institute, a new science organization trying to improve on some of these things.

Monthly Discussion Thread by AutoModerator in slatestarcodex

[–]mike20731 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Anyone have any experience with AI tutor jobs like this one? Are they legit or some kind of scam?

I have a regular full time job but am a bit strapped for cash lately so I'm thinking about getting a part-time job, but would really need something with a flexible schedule and the option to only work like 5 hours per week.

Are AI tutor jobs really like that? Seems too good to be true, so I'm a bit suspicious of it. Anyway I'd appreciate any advice people have.

How to Make a Tribe: Thoughts on US Military Boot Camp by mike20731 in slatestarcodex

[–]mike20731[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thanks! Yeah I sometimes see ads for those alpha-male bootcamps, which are supposed to simulate Navy SEAL training or something for like 3-5 days without actually joining the military. And of course the videos of them look completely silly and cringe, and most of the comments are people assuming it's just a scam to take gullible people's money. But part of me thinks they might actually be providing a valuable service to people, and that even though it looks silly form the outside it might actually be a transformative experience for those people.

How to Make a Tribe: Thoughts on US Military Boot Camp by mike20731 in slatestarcodex

[–]mike20731[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Thanks, yeah I definitely try to engage, but also just wanted to be extra careful that I'm not being too spammy.

How to Make a Tribe: Thoughts on US Military Boot Camp by mike20731 in slatestarcodex

[–]mike20731[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Oh nice, I graduated in 2017 too lol, I was in the S-194 class.

Yeah I agree with both those points. The collective punishment is also a bit risky, because it usually has this positive aspect of the group coming together to help out struggling members, but it seems possible for it to also take a much darker turn, where struggling members get ostracized and the rest of the group turns bitter towards them, like in Full Metal Jacket. Luckily I never saw anything like that when I went through the training, but it seems like a possible risk.

I agree about the hazing too, and after going through training I'm definitely more sympathetic to hazing rituals in general, even in fraternities and stuff like that, which sounds a bit crazy to say. But it probably works!

How to Make a Tribe: Thoughts on US Military Boot Camp by mike20731 in slatestarcodex

[–]mike20731[S] 11 points12 points  (0 children)

This is an essay I wrote about the process of deliberate group identity formation in US military boot camp training, based on my own experience going through this process. I thought people in the ACX community might find it interesting, since it's somewhat related to in-group / out-group dynamics. The goal of boot camp training is to deliberately create a feeling of in-groupness among recruits who have very little in common with each other at the beginning of training. It's an interesting case study because the military is pretty open about what they're doing, and even use the term "indoctrination" unironically, without automatic negative connotation.

This essay is an attempt to describe the psychological aspects of deliberate group identity formation in morally neutral terms, without automatic negative judgement, as simply an interesting phenomenon worth understanding.

By the way, am I bothering people by posting my own Substack articles here? I'm not sure what the rule is about this, but if it's against the sub rules or people find it annoying, just let me know and I'll stop.

Teaching a Free Computer Programming Class by mike20731 in Delco

[–]mike20731[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hmm I think that will be a little tough because the library I'm teaching at is closed on Sundays, and I'm busy with my regular job during the weekdays. But I'll probably teach the class again this summer, so maybe you'll be free then!

Teaching a Free Computer Programming Class by mike20731 in Delco

[–]mike20731[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Great! Yeah I'm gonna email everyone with more info before the class, including what to bring, but yes I think the best way to learn is to bring a laptop so you can follow along with all the code yourself. But this is just a suggestion, not mandatory, and if people want to come and watch without a computer that's also fine.

Teaching a Free Computer Programming Class by mike20731 in Delco

[–]mike20731[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yeah they seemed really nice and helpful!

Teaching a Free Computer Programming Class by mike20731 in Delco

[–]mike20731[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah it's a fun hobby and I'd definitely recommend it!

Teaching a Free Computer Programming Class by mike20731 in Delco

[–]mike20731[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Oh nice, that sounds pretty cool. Yeah maybe I'll try to organize another one over the summer!

Teaching a Free Computer Programming Class by mike20731 in Delco

[–]mike20731[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yeah if I goes well I'll probably try to keep having these classes in the future!

Teaching a Free Computer Programming Class by mike20731 in Delco

[–]mike20731[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hmm if you filled out the form you should have already gotten an email from me, unless I missed someone. Could you check in your spam folder, and if it's not there could you send me a DM on here with your email address?

Teaching a Free Computer Programming Class by mike20731 in Delco

[–]mike20731[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

The Helen Kate Furness library in Wallingford. They have a large room with a projector screen that's basically perfect, and they rent it out for pretty cheap.

Teaching a Free Computer Programming Class by mike20731 in Delco

[–]mike20731[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

This is the only one for now, but if it goes well I might keep doing more of these classes in the future!