michael_vassar3 comments on Correspondence Bias - Less Wrong

40 Post author: Eliezer_Yudkowsky 25 June 2007 12:58AM

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Comment author: michael_vassar3 25 June 2007 07:11:30PM 2 points [-]

You know, I agree that anyone who gives a different answer from "press the green button" is overcomplicating the question. Our chief point of disagreement for years has been that it seems to me that your real life answer has long been "press the green button if I can do so without 'being a jerk' e.g. 'stealing the future'". That, it seems to me, is clearly the wrong answer.

There may be very good time tested rules telling you not to steal things, and even better though less tested rules telling you not to steal the One Ring, but maybe Gollum has it and he just plain isn't very likely to be convinced to take it to Mt. Doom on his own, even if he knows more, thinks faster, and is more the person he wants to be.