Will_Newsome comments on Open Thread: July 2010, Part 2 - Less Wrong

6 Post author: Alicorn 09 July 2010 06:54AM

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Comment author: Will_Newsome 16 July 2010 04:19:27AM *  1 point [-]

I'm trying to think of conflicts between subsystems of the brain to see if there's anything more than a simple gerontocratic system of veto power (i.e. evolutionarily older parts of the brain override younger parts). Help?

I've got things like:

  • Wanting to eat but not wanting to spend money on food but wanting to signal wealth.
  • Wanting to breathe when underwater but wanting to surface for breath first but wanting to signal willpower to watching friends.
  • Wanting to survive but wanting to die for one's country/ideals/beliefs. (This is a counterexample to the gerontocratic hypothesis, no?)
  • Wanting to appear confident but wanting to appear modest. (Not necessarily opposed, but there is some tradeoff.)

What types of internal conflicts am I missing entirely?

Comment author: Alicorn 16 July 2010 04:28:47AM 0 points [-]

I think you should: Eat. Refrain from breathing while underwater. Survive.

Comment author: Will_Newsome 16 July 2010 04:32:21AM *  0 points [-]

Er, right, but what decision making algorithm or heuristics do you think the brain typically uses when solving problems similar to those listed?

Comment author: Alicorn 16 July 2010 04:37:12AM 1 point [-]

Hmmm... I wish I could help, but I don't seem to have conflicts in this reference class. I don't care about signaling wealth, especially not when that actually involves parting with money; I'd only care about how long I could hold my breath if I had a bet going and I'd never make such a bet unless I was sure I could win it comfortably; I have absolutely no desire whatsoever to die for any cause; and I want to be honest more than I want to appear confident or honest to the point where if I have inclinations towards either of the latter, they might as well not exist.

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