Find it on AbeBooks
| First Written | 2013 |
| Genre | FanFic |
| Origin | US |
| My Copy | online fanfiction. I know, I know. |
| First Read | August 05, 2013 |
Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality
Oh, should you be interested (and if so, I'm sorry): read it at hpmor.com.
Noted on August 13, 2013
While ostensibly a way to exercise the rationalists 'methods of rationality' in fiction form, the real pleasures of this book are twofold.
1. Bringing real-world experience into the JK Rowling's wizarding world creates a lot of 'wait, really?' moments. The wizards are still on the gold standard? And they store your gold in vaults, and never invest it? And one gold piece is ALWAYS worth seven silver pieces, no matter what the muggle exchange rate is? etc.
2. The pleasure of actually reading more stories about Hogwarts.
Noted on August 13, 2013
This is how committed to reading transparency I am: today I publicly admit reading a novel-length (ongoing!) piece of fan fiction.
HPMOR is an extremely long alternate Harry Potter book, wherein Harry is raised by loving, intelligent adoptive parents and becomes a scientific child prodigy before receiving his Hogwarts invitation. When he finally finds out about the wizarding world, he uses his talents as a liberal, science-loving rationalist to take over the world. Or at least, that's the plan.
It's basically Harry Potter x Ender's Game x Your Overbearing Science Reddit Friend.
Noted on August 13, 2013
I see little hope for democracy as an effective form of government, but I admire the poetry of how it makes its victims complicit in their own destruction.
Quoted on August 13, 2013
I don't want to rule the universe. I just think it could be more sensibly organised.
Quoted on August 13, 2013
There is no justice in the laws of nature, no term for fairness in the equations of motion. The Universe is neither evil, nor good, it simply does not care. The stars don't care, or the Sun, or the sky. But they don't have to! WE care! There IS light in the world, and it is US!
Quoted on August 13, 2013