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Locaha comments on Open thread, August 19-25, 2013 - Less Wrong Discussion

2 Post author: David_Gerard 19 August 2013 06:58AM

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Comment author: Locaha 26 August 2013 06:58:14AM 1 point [-]

I was just thinking if something that doesn't even register on a conscious level could have negative utility.

I guess anything with a negative cumulative effect.

Imagine the dust specks piling in your eye until they start to interfere with your vision.

Comment author: linkhyrule5 29 August 2013 10:38:14AM 1 point [-]

Well, yes, but it's one dust speck per person...

And it's entirely possible that utility of dust speck isn't additive. In fact, it's trivially so: one dust speck is fine, a few trillion will do gruesome things to your head.

Comment author: Locaha 29 August 2013 11:24:47AM 0 points [-]

I'm now thinking of developing a Dust Speck Machine Gun. Or Shotgun, possibly.

Well, yes, but it's one dust speck per person...

Well, I don't see how anything that never registers on any level can have any utility.

But... I dunno. Something that lowers your IQ by 1 point may be something you will never discover, and yet it will cause you negative utility...

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