Dark art Quote by Eliezer Yudkowsky
““Something, somewhere, somewhen, must have happened differently... PETUNIA EVANS married Michael Verres, a Professor of Biochemistry at Oxford. HARRY JAMES POTTER-EVANS-VERRES grew up in a house filled to the brim with books. He once bit a math teacher who didn't know what a logarithm was. He's read Godel, Escher, Bach and Judgment Under Uncertainty: Heuristics and Biases and volume one of The Feynman Lectures on Physics. And despite what everyone who's met him seems to fear, he doesn't want to become the next Dark Lord. He was raised better than that. He wants to discover the laws of magic and become a god. HERMIONE GRANGER is doing better than him in every class except broomstick riding. DRACO MALFOY is exactly what you would expect an eleven-year-old boy to be like if Darth Vader were his doting father. PROFESSOR QUIRRELL is living his lifelong dream of teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts, or as he prefers to call his class, Battle Magic. His students are all wondering what's going to go wrong with the Defense Professor this time. DUMBLEDORE is either insane, or playing some vastly deeper game which involved setting fire to a chicken. DEPUTY HEADMISTRESS MINERVA MCGONAGALL needs to go off somewhere private and scream for a while. Presenting: HARRY POTTER AND THE METHODS OF RATIONALITY You ain't guessin' where this one's going.””
About This Quote
Source Book: Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality by Eliezer Yudkowsky, 2010
A satirical reimagining of Harry Potter explores rationalist thinking, scientific curiosity, and the tension between destiny and agency.
In simple terms: A funny twist on Harry Potter shows rational thinking and magic.
Embrace curiosity and question assumptions.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- creative writing
- role‑playing games
- academic discussion
- fan fiction
- personal growth
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- How does rationality change a familiar fantasy world?
- What does the story suggest about destiny versus choice?
The humor may obscure deeper philosophical points for some readers.