JGWeissman comments on My Fundamental Question About Omega - Less Wrong

6 Post author: MrHen 10 February 2010 05:26PM

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Comment author: JGWeissman 10 February 2010 06:57:05PM 4 points [-]

You are missing the point of Omega, which is to factor out considerations of uncertainty. Omega is a perfect predictor so that we can be certain that its predictions are accurate. Omega is perfectly honest, and explains the rules of the scenario, so that we can be certain of the rules.

We don't have to worry about Omega's motivations at all, because, in a proper Omega scenario, Omega's actions in repsonse to every possible state of the scenario is exactly specified.

Comment author: MrHen 10 February 2010 07:02:29PM 2 points [-]

We don't have to worry about Omega's motivations at all, because, in a proper Omega scenario, Omega's actions in repsonse to every possible state of the scenario is exactly specified.

Right. I used the term "not malevolent" for this. What term would you have used?

Comment author: JGWeissman 10 February 2010 07:09:59PM 3 points [-]

"Has exactly specified behavior" would work.

Comment author: MrHen 10 February 2010 07:17:29PM 0 points [-]

Sure, that works. How about, "(b) has explicitly defined behavior." Does that translate okay?