Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality
Eliezer Yudkowsky
101 people recommended it in 54 threads, 2008–2026.
3 of those were in the last year.
4 commenters pushed back on it — worth reading the threads.
What people on Hacker News said
This book really taught me to think rationally and logically. I think I really did not understand the scientific method until this book.
Harry Potter and The Methods of Rationality is the best fiction I've ever read, and am actually rereading now, so that's one.
The whole HP universe is re-imagined, except Harry is smart, a scientist, and empowered with rationality. It is both entertaining and an introduction to the art of rationality.
Give this book 5 minutes of time at [0] where it is released. It's a great story and drives home a lot of points about cognitive biases.
Written by an AI researcher, the book explores HP as if he was a very rational and intelligent agent, rather than someone who immediately accepts all aspects of magic.
Where it comes up
- Ask HN: Great fiction books that have had a positive impact on your life? 2020 · 9 recommendations
- Ask HN: What's the "best" book you've ever read? 2024 · 7 recommendations
- Ask HN: What book changed your life in 2014? 2014 · 6 recommendations
- Ask HN: Best book you read in 2011 2011 · 6 recommendations
- Ask HN: Best book you read in 2010 and briefly why 2010 · 6 recommendations
- Ask HN: Which book have you re-read recently? 2017 · 4 recommendations
- Show HN: 40k HN comments mentioning books, extracted using deep learning 2021 · 3 recommendations
- Ask HN: Best books you read in the past decade? 2019 · 3 recommendations
- Ask HN: Which book are you reading these days? 2015 · 3 recommendations
- Books I Loved Reading in 2024 2025 · 2 recommendations
- Ask HN: Which books have made you a better thinker and problem solver? 2022 · 2 recommendations
- Ask HN: What book have you re-read 3x or more? 2022 · 2 recommendations
- Ask HN: What's the best book you read in 2021? 2021 · 2 recommendations
- Ask HN: Mind bending books to read and never be the same as before? 2020 · 2 recommendations
- Ask HN: What are the best Sci-Fi books you've ever read? 2018 · 2 recommendations
- Ask HN: Books you wish you had read earlier? 2017 · 2 recommendations
- Ask HN: Books you read in 2016? 2016 · 2 recommendations
- Ask HN: Books you read in 2015? 2015 · 2 recommendations
- Show HN: Free textbook on engineering thermodynamics 2026 · 1 recommendation
- My favorite cult sci-fi and fantasy books you may not have heard of before 2025 · 1 recommendation