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shminux comments on Selfish preferences and self-modification - Less Wrong Discussion

4 Post author: Manfred 14 January 2015 08:42AM

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Comment author: shminux 15 January 2015 05:21:04PM 0 points [-]

I agree, "as soon as the cloning happens" is an obvious Schelling point with regards to caring. However, if you base your decision to cooperate or defect on how similar the other clone is to you in following the same decision theory, then this leads to "not at all similar", resulting in defection as the dominant strategy. If instead you trust the other clone to apply TDT the way you do, then you behave in a way that is equivalent to caring even after you profess that you do not.

Comment author: ike 15 January 2015 07:44:34PM *  1 point [-]

I don't think so. When I say I would cooperate, I mean standard Prisoner's Dilemma stuff. I don't have to care about them to do that.

The things I wouldn't care about are the kinds of situations mentioned in the OP. In a one sided Dilemma, where the other person has no choice, TDT does not say you should cooperate. If you cared about them, then you should cooperate as long as you will lose less than they gain. In that case I would not cooperate, even though I might self-modify to cooperating now if given the choice.

Comment author: shminux 15 January 2015 10:01:49PM 0 points [-]

I see. I understand what you mean now.