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shminux comments on Simulate and Defer To More Rational Selves - Less Wrong
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"WWRMD?" (RM for "rational me".)
This is exactly the point of asking "What Would Jesus Do?" Christians are asking themselves, what would a perfectly moral, all-knowing person do in this situation, and using the machinery their brains have for simulating a person to find out the answer, instead of using the general purpose reasoner that is so easily overworked. Of course, simulating a person (especially a god) accurately can be kind of tricky. Similar thoughts religious people use to get themselves to do things that they want to abstractly but are hard in the moment: What would I do if I were the kind of person I want to become? What would a perfectly moral, all-knowing person think about what I'm about to do?
Right. Unfortunately, they know they are not as good as Jesus, so this fails more often than not. However, simulating oneself with just one small difference, the way OP suggests, is probably much easier and so likely be more successful.
Actually, simulating a hypothetical wise, but not necessarily superhuman counselor, can be better than simulating myself. I have my confusions and my weaknesses, and it can be hard to generated a model of someone who exactly like myself but without them.
On the other hand, since my hypothetical personal hero is fictional (although maybe based on someone real or fictional that I admire), it is easier to generate a model of this wise, calm and collected adviser.
I think the real trick here is that any "simulated person" in your mind has cognitive "permission" to take the Outside View on you. So it will damn well tell you, "You're stressed, you're tired, you're not thinking correctly" instead of just endorsing everything you think.
The CEO of the company I work for is named Jeff. In a 20-year tenure speech before a packed auditorium, a coworker recently recommended that in the course of our workday we should all be asking WWJD: "What would Jeff do?"
It was pretty funny.
Guess you had to be there.
I've used WWJBD. I don't remember how it stuck with me, and I haven't killed anyone yet.
For those who are as puzzled by that as I was: I think JB = Jack Bauer, hero of an American TV series called 24. Bauer is a counterterrorism agent; AAUI he's portrayed as smart, heroic, omnicompetent, violent, principled but not particularly scrupulous, and notoriously willing to go as far as torture to save lives.
(I haven't watched 24 and would be glad of correction if my characterization is wrong. Or for that matter if I've got the wrong JB.)
James Bond. Jack Bauer could work too.
Not great for moral guidance, but sometimes seems to help with hesitation.
Aha. Of course, unlike Jack Bauer who is portrayed as smart, heroic, omnicompetent, violent, and principled but not particularly scrupulous, James Bond is portrayed as smart, beroic, omnicompetent, violent, and principled but not particularly scrupulous.