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Qwake comments on Truth vs Utility - Less Wrong Discussion

1 Post author: Qwake 13 August 2014 05:45AM

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Comment author: [deleted] 13 August 2014 06:53:07PM 0 points [-]

Making the assumption that since #2 comes with 'No strings attached' it is implying safety measures such as 'The answer does not involve the delivery of a star sized super computer that kills you with it's gravity well' since that feels like a string, and #1 does not have such safety measures (implying you have infinite utility because you have been turned into a paperclipper in simulated paperclippium is an interpretation), I find myself trying to ponder ways of getting the idealized results of #1 with the safety measures of #2, such as

"If you were willing to answer an unlimited number of questions, and I asked you all the questions I could think of, What are all question answer pairs where I would consider any set of those question answer pairs a net gain in utility, answered in order from highest net gain of utility to smallest net gain of utility?"

Keeping in mind that the questions such as the below would be part of the hilariously meta above question:

"Exactly, in full detail without compression and to the full extent of time, what would all of my current and potentially new senses experience like if I took the simulation in Option 1?"

It was simply an idea that I found interesting that I wanted to put into writing. Thank you for reading.

This was an interesting idea to read! (Even if I don't think my interpretation was what you had in mind.) Thank you for writing!

Comment author: Qwake 14 August 2014 04:39:38AM 0 points [-]

Interesting interpretation of my scenario. I don't know about other people but I personally wouldn't mind being a paperclip in paperclippium if meant realizing infinite utility potential (assuming paperclips are conscious and have sensory experience of course).

Keeping in mind that the questions such as the below would be part of the hilariously meta above question:

"Exactly, in full detail without compression and to the full extent of time, what would all of my current and potentially new senses experience like if I took the simulation in Option 1?"

As for this question, that is pretty ingenious but avoiding the conflict of my scenario entirely! No need to undermine my thought experiment unneedlessly! :) Anyway thanks for the nice comment.