TheOtherDave comments on Thoughts on the Singularity Institute (SI) - Less Wrong

256 Post author: HoldenKarnofsky 11 May 2012 04:31AM

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Comment author: TheOtherDave 17 July 2012 06:54:02PM 1 point [-]

I don't see the circularity.
Just because a warrior is victorious doesn't necessarily mean they won before going to war; it might be instead that victorious warriors go to war first and then seek to win, and defeated warriors do the same thing.
Can you spell out the circularity?

Comment author: shminux 17 July 2012 10:00:33PM *  0 points [-]

Unless you interpret "win first" as "prepare for every eventuality, calculate the unbiased probability of winning and be comfortable with the odds when going to battle", "win first" can only be meaningfully applied in retrospect.

Comment author: thomblake 18 July 2012 04:25:26PM *  1 point [-]

I think you've stumbled upon the correct interpretation.

Sun Tzu was fond of making warfare about strategy and logistics rather than battles, so that one would only fight when victory is a foregone conclusion.

Comment author: TheOtherDave 17 July 2012 10:38:48PM 0 points [-]

Ah, I see what you mean now.
Thanks for the clarification.