Appendix: Jargon Dictionary — LessWrong
To “80-20” something is to obtain most of the result (80%) with only a small proportion of the work (20%). This expression originates with the Pareto principle which states that for many events, 80% of the effects come from 20% of the causes (e.g. most of a com- pany’s sales come from a small number of its clients). Adaptive problem A problem whose solution contains steps or methods that are unknown or uncertain, often requiring experimentation, novel strategies, or entirely new ways of thinking. Contrast with “technical problems,” which may be equally difficult but whose difficulty lies in the execution of known or knowable processes. Affect One’s emotional state or disposition, especially as evidenced by one’s body language, facial expression, word choice, and tone of voice. Affordance An opportunity or potential-for-action arising from a given context; a door handle creates an affordance for pulling. In particular, it is a genuine or felt opportunity—while there may be no physical d