News for hackers. Stuff that matters.

A comment on Ask HN: I'd like to start taking amphetamines. What do you recommend?. Parent comment

Re:Ask HN: I'd like to start taking amphetamines. What do yo... by jacquesm on Monday August 17, 2009 @09:34AM (#768066)
Aye, but you are comparing apples with oranges here.

To compare the poster with Paul Erdős is a fallacy, you should be comparing Paul Erdős without amphetamines vs Paul Erdős with.

It's a relative thing, not an absolute thing. And since the poster is anonymous you can't really make any qualitative statements about his mental capabilities (other than the ones you inferred from his posting).

[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Ask HN: I'd like to start taking amphetamines. What do yo... by volodia on Monday August 17, 2009 @11:53PM (#769706)
I think he was trying to say that the magnitude of the mental boost from using amphetamines will not compensate for the health risks, and that if your mental skills are not already extremely sharp without amphetamines (like those of Erdos), then the drugs might not give you the effect you expect.
[ Parent | on HN ]