Eugine_Nier comments on We Don't Have a Utility Function - Less Wrong

43 [deleted] 02 April 2013 03:49AM

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Comment author: TimS 02 April 2013 05:24:52PM *  2 points [-]

What is a conversation metaphor? I'm afraid I don't see what you're getting at.

My fault for failing to clarify. There are roughly three ways one can talk about changes to an agent's terminal values.

(1) Such changes never happen. (At a society level, this proposition appears to be false).

(2) Such changes happen through rational processes (i.e. reasoning).

(3) Such changes happen through non-rational processes (e.g. tribal affiliation + mindkilling).

I was using "conversion" as a metaphorical shorthand for the third type of change.

Comment author: Eugine_Nier 03 April 2013 06:10:25AM 3 points [-]

I was using "conversion" as a metaphorical shorthand for the third type of change.

BTW, you might want to change "conversation" to "conversion" in the grandparent.

Comment author: TimS 03 April 2013 01:44:27PM 1 point [-]

Ah! Thanks.