CarlShulman comments on Inferring Our Desires - Less Wrong

37 Post author: lukeprog 24 May 2011 05:33AM

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Comment author: CarlShulman 24 May 2011 07:01:51AM 4 points [-]

We do, as shown by decades of research on operant conditioning. When a neutral potential goal is associated with a stimulus of positive affect, we acquire new goals, and we can be unaware that this has happened:

Nice post. I would like more on this and terminal vs instrumental distinctions.

Comment author: lukeprog 24 May 2011 02:42:41PM *  1 point [-]

You mean you want to know more about desire acquisition, or more about the neuroscience of operant conditioning?

As for the terminal vs. instrumental distinction, I spent quite a while looking for anything relevant and came up empty, so I'm pretty sure neuroscientists aren't there yet. Alas.

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