shokwave comments on The Logical Fallacy of Generalization from Fictional Evidence - Less Wrong

38 Post author: Eliezer_Yudkowsky 16 October 2007 03:57AM

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Comment author: Solvent 14 September 2011 10:11:32AM 1 point [-]

One thing I've used is "Imagine the Matrix, except think about if for five minutes, and change it to remove the ridiculous parts of the idea." It allows them to get a cleaner version of your idea, but requires them to be pretty smart.

Comment author: shokwave 14 September 2011 12:13:02PM 3 points [-]

"The original plot for the Matrix called for the humans' brains to be used as powerful computers to run all the software - that was why anyone plugged in could become an Agent - but someone at Warner Bros decided people weren't that clever. Besides, our body heat is nowhere near as efficient as nuclear power. Anyway! The Matrix ...."

This is how I start simulation arguments off on a good footing. Peoples' minds are a little blown by such a sensible version of the Matrix, so they're more accepting...

Comment author: Swimmer963 14 September 2011 12:27:42PM 1 point [-]

The original plot for the Matrix called for the humans' brains to be used as powerful computers to run all the software - that was why anyone plugged in could become an Agent - but someone at Warner Bros decided people weren't that clever. Besides, our body heat is nowhere near as efficient as nuclear power. Anyway! The Matrix ....

Are you serious? Why did they change it? That version would have been sooo much more awesome. (Cries.)

Comment author: MarkusRamikin 14 September 2011 01:13:46PM 1 point [-]

Because viewers are morons.

Comment author: JoshuaZ 14 September 2011 12:36:58PM 2 points [-]

Do you have a citation for this? This isn't mentioned in the Wikipedia article on the movie.

Comment author: shokwave 15 September 2011 12:35:03AM *  4 points [-]

No citation, not even sure it's real. TV Tropes told me, and I thought it was cool and sensible enough to pretend it was true.

tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/WetwareCPU ctrl-F Matrix

(Bare link only to trivially inconvenience you)