Vladimir_Nesov comments on Pluralistic Moral Reductionism - Less Wrong

33 Post author: lukeprog 01 June 2011 12:59AM

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Comment author: Vladimir_Nesov 02 June 2011 03:10:48AM *  4 points [-]

That's why we need to decode the cognitive algorithms that generate our questions about value and morality. ... So how can the Empathic Metaethicist answer Alex's question? We don't know the details yet. For example, we don't have a completed cognitive neuroscience.

Assume you have a complete knowledge of all details of the way human brain works, and a detailed trace of the sequence of neurological events that leads people to ask moral questions. Then what?

My only guess is that you look this trace over using your current moral judgment, and decide that you expect that changing certain things in the algorithm will make the judgments of this brain better. But this is not a FAI-grade tool for defining morality (unless we have to go the uploads-driven way, in which case you just gradually and manually improve humans for a very long time).

Comment author: lukeprog 08 June 2011 07:03:49AM 1 point [-]

Yes, a completed cognitive neuroscience would certainly not be sufficient for defining the motivational system of an FAI.