timtyler comments on To what degree do we have goals? - Less Wrong

45 Post author: Yvain 15 July 2011 11:11PM

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Comment author: Wei_Dai 16 July 2011 01:34:12AM 5 points [-]

The post cites being upset or angry as evidence of certain apparent preferences being closer to genuine preferences, but a paperclip maximizer wouldn't get upset or angry if a supernova destroyed some of its factories, for example. I think being upset or angry when one's consciously held goals have been frustrated is probably just a signaling mechanism, and not evidence of anything beyond the fact that those goals are consciously held (or "approved" or "endorsed").

Comment author: timtyler 16 July 2011 11:46:46AM *  0 points [-]

I think being upset or angry when one's consciously held goals have been frustrated is probably just a signaling mechanism [...]

Angry, probably. Upset, probably not.