History Trivia / HarryPotterAndTheMethodsOfRationality

* IKnewIt: Yudkowsky was very impressed by how many people guessed how Harry was going to handle [[spoiler: Hermione's trial.]]

** An {{omake}} chapter explores the possibility of applying the "rationalist" concept to other works of fiction, including ''Literature/TheLordOfTheRings'', ''Literature/{{Twilight}}'' (which Yudkowsky explicitly states is the premise of Alicorn's ''Fanfic/{{Luminosity}}''), and ''Literature/TheLionTheWitchAndTheWardrobe''. A brief margin is dedicated to a ''Anime/TengenToppaGurrenLagann''[=/=]''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}}'' crossover, but leaves it simply as:

* FalselyAdvertisedAccuracy: The author has a tendency to grossly simplify points that are actually under debate, and to simply state his preferred interpretation as unquestioned scientific truth. The most blatant is that his specific interpretation of Bayes' Theorum is not only treated as the only one, but as ''the same thing as the scientific method''.

* FandomNod: As a paean to ''Literature/HarryPotter'' fanfic, there are several.

* RealitySubtext: The case of Amanda Knox, who is allegedly a reader of the fanfic. May also qualify as a TearJerker.

* FanNickname: Quirrelmort, Harryzer.

* WriteWhoYouKnow: Much of Professor Quirrel's characterization was inspired by Yudkowsky's colleague and co-blogger [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robin_Hanson Robin Hanson]]. The whole "being evil" part is pure fiction, though. (We hope.)

** Hermione is, in fact, [[spoiler:Professor [=McGonnagal's=] secret long lost great-niece. Apparently her twin sister gave birth to Hermione's mother at some point during the war with Grindewald and died shortly thereafter.]]

* ActorAllusion:
** Indirectly. There is a reference to Tom Lehrer, of whom Creator/DanielRadcliffe is a big fan.
** Hebrew is mentioned in chapter six.

* FanNickname: Quirrelmort, Harryzer.

* ActorAllusion: Indirectly. There is a reference to Tom Lehrer, of whom DanielRadcliffe is a big fan.

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: An {{omake}} chapter explores the possibility of applying the "rationalist" concept to other works of fiction, including ''Literature/TheLordOfTheRings'', ''Literature/{{Twilight}}'' (which Yudkowsky explicitly states is the premise of Alicorn's ''Fanfic/{{Luminosity}}''), and ''Literature/TheLionTheWitchAndTheWardrobe''. A brief margin is dedicated to a ''Anime/TengenToppaGurrenLagann''[=/=]''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}}'' crossover, but leaves it simply as:

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: An {{omake}} chapter explores the possibility of applying the "rationalist" concept to other works of fiction, including ''Literature/TheLordOfTheRings'', ''Literature/{{Twilight}}'' (which Yudkowsky explicitly states is the premise of Alicorn's ''Fanfic/{{Luminosity}}''), and ''Literature/TheLionTheWitchAndTheWardrobe''. A brief margin is dedicated to a ''GurrenLagann''[=/=]''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}}'' crossover, but leaves it simply as:

-->[[UsefulNotes/FermatsLastTheorem I have a truly marvelous story for this crossover]] [[http://thinkexist.com/quotation/it-is-impossible-for-any-number-which-is-a-power/389129.html which this margin is too narrow to contain.]]

-->[[FermatsLastTheorem I have a truly marvelous story for this crossover]] [[http://thinkexist.com/quotation/it-is-impossible-for-any-number-which-is-a-power/389129.html which this margin is too narrow to contain.]]

* IKnewIt: Yudowsky was very impressed by how many people guessed how Harry was going to handle [[spoiler: Hermione's trial.]]

** But three weeks later, he was already finishing chapter 81 and explaining that he was still making backwards edits to all the unposted chapters. So most of the complainers have stopped complaining and asked him to just post more often on his progress.

** But three weeks later, he was already finishing chapter 81 and explaining that he was still making backwards edits to all the unposted chapters. So most of the complainers have stopped complaining and asked him to just post more often on his progress :).

* ScheduleSlip: Around Christmas 2011, nearly four months after Chapter 77 was published, Chapter 78 was finally done, but to spare the readers the nerve-wracking wait between its cliffhanger and Chapter 79, the author decided to finish Chapter 79 first. When that one was finished three days later he [[FlipFlopOfGod then decided]] to finish the whole arc first because his speed had improved so much. Let's hope the arc isn't too long ...