skepsci comments on Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality discussion thread, part 9 - Less Wrong

10 Post author: Oscar_Cunningham 09 September 2011 01:29PM

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Comment author: skepsci 15 February 2012 10:01:01AM *  4 points [-]

A hypothesis I'm currently toying with: Quirrell and HJPEV are different versions of the same individual, in some sense, and the Quirrell version is using some form of magic (probably involving breaking the 6-hour-limit on sending information backwards through time, possibly involving possession of a real Quirrell) to carry out a process of recursive self-improvement on himself. The story we're currently reading takes place in one iteration of the loop.

Has anyone posted this idea before on the net?

There are some serious problems with this hypothesis:

  • Quirrell and HJPEV appear to have very different utility functions.
  • Performing recursive self-improvement starting with a human hardly seems like the kind of thing Eliezer would advocate, considering the likelihood of ending up with an unfriendly superintelligence.

So it's probably wrong, but I thought it was interesting enough to post.

Comment author: ShardPhoenix 05 March 2012 12:55:09AM *  3 points [-]

My theory is that when Voldie shot baby Harry, he copied one of his horcruxes into Harry, overwriting Harry's original soul/mind. HJPEV is what Voldie/Quirrel might have been like if raised under different circumstances.

Comment author: Jonathan_Elmer 16 February 2012 02:39:47AM 3 points [-]

Quirrell is definitely Voldemort, or rather Voldemort and Quirrell are alternate identities of Tom Riddle.

Comment author: thomblake 15 February 2012 09:09:31PM 2 points [-]

Performing recursive self-improvement starting with a human hardly seems like the kind of thing Eliezer would advocate

Fortunately, Eliezer has repeatedly pointed out that Harry isn't Eliezer and has different ideas/priorities.

Quirrell and HJPEV appear to have very different utility functions.

Quirrell seems to be trying to fix that too; sounds like a feature, not a bug.

Has anyone posted this idea before on the net?

There have been numerous time travel / "Quirrell is Harry" theories before. Given the relationship between MoR and other fanfic, I'd be surprised if there was never a Peggy Sue or other non-time-turner time travel. Insane Weasley brothers notwithstanding.

Comment author: Eneasz 16 February 2012 05:26:53PM *  0 points [-]

The story we're currently reading takes place in one iteration of the loop.

I don't think this fits the style. Much in the same vein as Stross's "Palimpsest" (and Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure for that matter), the reader/viewer always sees only the final iteration, because that's what the subjective experience would be to someone experiencing this. So if this is the case, we're reading the last iteration (see both the initial time-turner prank and the attempted use of the time-turner to factor in polynomial time).

That being said, it's my pet theory that Harry goes dark and does something horrible in the future, and sends himself way back to try to stop all that, and we're reading the final iteration of that. And that future Harry is Mr Hat-and-Cloak. But that's just me, and this isn't well supported.

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