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Cup-Stacking Skills (or, Reflexive Involuntary Mental Motions) — LessWrong

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Naming things is hard.  Generally speaking, a thing should be named evocatively, such that people find it memorable and sticky, or precisely, such that people can reconstruct the concept just from its title. (So, "Moloch," or "trigger-action planning.") This essay is about "cup-stacking skills."  It's a noun that I use in phrases like "I think you're exhibiting a cup-stacking skill right now" or "I'm slowly trying to unravel this cup-stacking skill" or "I think we should consult Dave; he has the relevant cup-stacking skill." Unfortunately, that's not a great name.  Most people, encountering the name, will have to memorize both the concept and the label, rather than having to just memorize the concept and have the label stick, or just memorize the label (and being able to rederive the concept from it). Sorry.  I've made a genuine effort for the past couple of years to find a better name, and failed.  Since I've failed, I need you to watch three Youtube videos. Here's the first video. Th

x Cup-Stacking Skills (or, Reflexive Involuntary Mental Motions) — LessWrong Best of LessWrong 2021 Techniques Rationality World Modeling Frontpage 158 Cup-Stacking Skills (or, Reflexive Involuntary Mental Motions) by Duncan Sabien (Inactive) 11th Oct 2021 9 min read 36 158 This essay will require you to watch three short Youtube videos, totaling less than two minutes. Naming things is hard. Generally speaking, a thing should be named evocatively, such that people find it memorable and sticky, or precisely, such that people can reconstruct the concept just from its title. (So, "Moloch," or "tr

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