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Ghatanathoah comments on The Mere Cable Channel Addition Paradox - Less Wrong
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I've considered this possibility as well.
One argument that's occurred to me is that adding more people in A+ might actually be harming the people in population A because the people in population A would presumably prefer that there not be a bunch of desperately poor people who need their help kept forever out of reach, and adding the people in A+ violates that preference. Of course, the populations are not aware of each others' existence, but it's possible to harm someone without their knowledge, if I spread dirty rumors about someone I'd say that I harmed them even if they never find out about it.
However, I am not satisfied with this argument, it feels a little too much like a rationalization to me. It might also suggest that we ought to be careful about how we reproduce in case it turns out that there are aliens out there somewhere living lives far more fantastic than ours are.
Instrumentally, if there is absolutely no interaction, not even indirect, is possible between the two groups, there is no way one group can harm another.
True, but only because rumors can harm people, so the "no interaction" rule is broken.
I'm not sure about that. I don't think most people would want rumors spread about them, even if the rumors did nothing other than make some people think worse about them (but they never acted on those thoughts).
Similarly, it seems to me that someone who cheats on their spouse and is never caught has wronged their spouse, even if their spouse is never aware of the affair's existence, and the cheater doesn't spend less money or time on the spouse because of it.
Now, suppose I have a strong preference to live in a universe where innocent people are never tortured for no good reason. Now, suppose someone in some far-off place that I can never interact with tortures an innocent person for no good reason. Haven't my preferences been thwarted in some sense?
How do you know it is not happening right now? Since there is no way to tell, by your assumption, you might as well assume the worst and be perpetually unhappy. I warmly recommend instrumentalism as a workable alternative.
There is no need to be unhappy over situations I can't control. I know that awful things are happening in other countries that I have no control over, but I don't let that make me unhappy, even though my preferences are being perpetually thwarted by those things happening. But the fact that it doesn't make me unhappy doesn't change the fact that it's not what I'd prefer.