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Ask HN: What books do you keep on your desk?

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Re: Ask HN: What books do you keep on your desk?

#201
post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>I find myself applying it more frequently thats really intersting. curious if you have any examples tht come to your mind.

Sure! As the book is from a very abstract point-of-view, it's challenging to have specific anecdotes. It feels more like a small adaptation to your perspective / addition to your base of reasoning. Although it covers a plethora of topics, what really binds it together is the idea of 'strange loops,' and how loops are existent in most everything, how they signal information, how they come in various steps, etc, etc, e…

I am probably even less worthy of offering a summary of the book than you are, but I'll take a stab as well.

The author is interested in how meaning can arise from meaningless components. For example, any one cell in the brain doesn't seem to have awareness, intelligence, etc. -- so why is it that a brain's worth does seem to have these abilities? To take it further, one could consider the constituent atoms and such.

There are analogies with music, visual art, and more subjects. How is it that a single musical note conveys so little, yet certain arrangements convey so much?

The author has a rough idea about how this happens. He thinks this event (meaning arising from meaningless parts) is the core scientific-philosophical question for developing strong AI.

Re: Ask HN: What books do you keep on your desk?

#203

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What attitude can you expect from rationalists towards those who decide to believe in claims without requiring evidence or justification? The moral high ground which you seem to think exists for you, does not.

That which works is sufficient evidence unto itself. The whole idea that what is beyond the capabilities of reason doesn't exist is laughable, except when it becomes inhuman.

Yes, that’s why I said “requiring evidence”. I didn’t say we had to understand it. We don’t even understand our own brains, but they work. Now, prayer, does that work? I can’t really believe I have to explain this here.

Re: Ask HN: What books do you keep on your desk?

#204

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What attitude can you expect from rationalists towards those who decide to believe in claims without requiring evidence or justification? The moral high ground which you seem to think exists for you, does not.

I'm not sure if you're using the strict philosophical definition of rationalist or not (the "requiring evidence" phrasing makes me think not -- that would apply to empiricists, not that they're mutually exclusive though they were at odds in the past). If you are, I'd suggest that the body of early Buddhist work contains lines of thought that aren't dissimilar from Plato who was most definitely a rationalist. If you'r…

Religious faith is by definition believing in hypotheses without valid reason. That’s all I’m saying. If Buddhist mindfulness is effective then that’s great. But I’m talking about evaluating the truth of hypotheses using faith.

Re: Ask HN: What books do you keep on your desk?

#205

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Thanks. When I tell people I practice Buddhism they make some smart remark about being a monk.

That's fair game. I got the comments for being veggie and meditating. Others will have it for some other reason. Teasing is alright as long as it's not done again and again.

Practicing Buddhism is a scale not a binary thing. I’ve been a veggie since birth and meditated on and off. What I do like about Buddhism is less “do what I told you in a book” but more of “look inside yourself, find what works for you, and do that”.

Re: Ask HN: What books do you keep on your desk?

#206
post #73
post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My guess is he has "Algorithmic Trading & DMA" and "Trading and Exchanges". Both are excellent.

I have the Ernest Chan books. "Options, Futures, and Other Derivatives (10th Edition)" and a few other Economics and Finance books. Happy to share a complete list if anyone really wants it.

Here are the books on my desk:

C++:

"The C++ Programming Language", Stroustrup

"Programming: Principles and Practice Using C++", Stroustrup

Quant:

"Quantitative Trading", Dr. Ernest Chan

"Algorithmic Trading", Dr. Ernest Chan

"Machine Trading: Deploying Computer Algorithms to Conquer the Markets", Dr. Ernest Chan

"Advances in Financial Machine Learning", Marcos Lopez de Prado

"Options, Futures and Other Derivatives (10th edition)", John C. Hull

Buddhism:

"Open Heart, Clear Mind", Thubten Chodron

"Buddhism For Beginners", Thubten Chodron

"Working with Anger", Thubten Chodron

Reading For Pleasure:

"Naked Statistics", Charles Wheelan

"Algorithms to Live By", Brian Christian and Tom Griffiths

"Dark Pools"

"The Quants", Scott Patterson

"The Physics Of Wall Street", James Owen Weatherall

Plus some Chinese books, I wont bore with the details, unless anyone wants to know. Fun Fact, while I was in China for 8 weeks in late 2017 I bought 60 Chinese books and stuffed them in a suitcase. It cost me $4,000RMB (~$604 USD) to check all of my stuff and purchases home :-)

The Math books are:

"Discrete math", Susan Epp

"Discrete with Ducks"

various Calc books. If you want to learn math, find books that work for you. We all learn differently here.

My opinion: The Chan books are just amazing. Thought provoking and motivational. I am still reading the Prado book.

My opinion 2: If you ever want to slow down in life and learn what you are about, read about Buddhism. I'm not trying to start a flame war. It just works for me. It isn't being told what to believe because that is the way it is. I feel Buddhism lets me explore myself to find the right answers that work for me. Since studying my anger levels are in check. I am a better Husband. My wife comes first always.

Re: Ask HN: What books do you keep on your desk?

#207
post #73

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have the Ernest Chan books. "Options, Futures, and Other Derivatives (10th Edition)" and a few other Economics and Finance books. Happy to share a complete list if anyone really wants it.

I would like to hear the complete list :)

See above.

Re: Ask HN: What books do you keep on your desk?

#208
post #73

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have the Ernest Chan books. "Options, Futures, and Other Derivatives (10th Edition)" and a few other Economics and Finance books. Happy to share a complete list if anyone really wants it.

yes can you share the complete list for finance and math books?

See above.

Re: Ask HN: What books do you keep on your desk?

#209
post #205

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's fair game. I got the comments for being veggie and meditating. Others will have it for some other reason. Teasing is alright as long as it's not done again and again.

Practicing Buddhism is a scale not a binary thing. I’ve been a veggie since birth and meditated on and off. What I do like about Buddhism is less “do what I told you in a book” but more of “look inside yourself, find what works for you, and do that”.

Words to live by, my friend.

Re: Ask HN: What books do you keep on your desk?

#210

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not laughing at the Buddhism books. That's actually a great suggestion!

Me neither. Nothing like a saucy koan to snap me out of an infinite stoopid-loop.

Stay true to yourself. E-Mail in profile if you want to chat about Buddhism.
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