This page was imported from the LessWrong 1.0 Wiki (wiki.lesswrong.com) for historical completeness. The modern reader is directed to view the modern Sequence.

A series on the use and abuse of words; why you often can't define a word any way you like; how human brains seem to process definitions. First introduces the Mind projection fallacy and the concept of how an algorithm feels from inside, which makes it a basic intro to key elements of the LW zeitgeist.

A guide to this sequence is available at 37 Ways That Words Can Be Wrong.

The Parable of the Dagger
The Parable of Hemlock
Words as Hidden Inferences
Extensions and Intensions
Similarity Clusters
Typicality and Asymmetrical Similarity
The Cluster Structure of Thingspace
Disguised Queries
Neural Categories
How An Algorithm Feels From Inside
Disputing Definitions
Feel the Meaning
The Argument From Common Usage
Empty Labels
Taboo Your Words
Replace the Symbol with the Substance
Fallacies of Compression
Categorizing Has Consequences
Sneaking in Connotations
Arguing "By Definition"
Where to Draw the Boundary?
Entropy, and Short Codes
Mutual Information, and Density in Thingspace
Superexponential Conceptspace, and Simple Words
Conditional Independence, and Naive Bayes
Words as Mental Paintbrush Handles
Variable Question Fallacies
37 Ways That Suboptimal Use Of Categories Can Have Negative Side Effects On Your Cognition

Alternative formats