Vladimir_Nesov comments on Contrived infinite-torture scenarios: July 2010 - Less Wrong

24 Post author: PlaidX 23 July 2010 11:54PM

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Comment author: Vladimir_Nesov 25 July 2010 11:27:04AM *  4 points [-]

I think this might get dangerously close to the banned territory, and our Friendly dictator will close the whole thread. Though since it wasn't clarified what exactly is banned, I'll go ahead and discuss acausal trade in general until it's explicitly ruled banned as well.

As discussed before, "AI deterrence" is much better thought of as participation in acausal multiverse economy, but it probably takes a much more detailed knowledge of your preference than humans possess to make the necessary bead jar guesses to make your moves in the global game. This makes it doubtful that it's possible on human level, since the decision problem deteriorates into a form of Pascal's Wager (without infinities, but with quantities outside the usual ranges and too difficult to estimate, while precision is still important).

ETA: And sims are certainly "usable" for humans, they produce some goodness, but maybe less so than something else. That they aren't subjectively anticipated, doesn't make them improbable, in case you actually build them. Subjective anticipation is not a very good match for prior, it only tells you a general outline, sometimes in systematic error.

Comment author: Baughn 28 July 2010 11:20:27PM 2 points [-]

If you haven't already, read BLIT. I'm feeling rather like the protagonist.

Every additional angle, no matter how indirect, gets me closer to seeing that which I Must Not Understand. Though I'm taking it on faith that this is the case, I have reason to think the faith isn't misplaced. It's a very disturbing experience.

I think I'll go read another thread now. Or wait, better yet, watch anime. There's no alcohol in the house..