timtyler comments on Outline of Possible Sources of Values - Less Wrong

14 Post author: Wei_Dai 18 January 2013 12:14AM

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Comment author: timtyler 18 January 2013 01:32:02AM *  3 points [-]

99% of values come from copied entities (genes, memes, etc). Basically, any non-trivial optimisation process (i.e. more advanced than exhaustive/random search) involves the copying-with-variation of previously-successful solutions. So: a useful way of classifing many values, is to consider what was copied in order to produce them.

Comment author: Fronken 25 January 2013 03:14:49PM 0 points [-]

Why is this useful to us? I am confused :( it seems that only following all the selection could make this useful?

Comment author: timtyler 25 January 2013 11:38:32PM 0 points [-]

It can tell you whether your values came from you, from another individual (often manipulation), from tradition, or from some other source. Such information is often interesting.