Comment on SotW: Be Specific

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 21:29:56 GMT

Perhaps, though it is not clear to me that the genie didn't have that power all along. Regardless, if I am confident that the Genie will attempt to implement my wish (should I make one) in a way that results in a net decrease of utility, but am not confident that it will attempt to decrease my utility in the absence of a wish, then I conclude that I do better not to wish (thereby possibly, but probably not, incurring the genie's ill will with no defense) than to wish (thereby definitely incurring the genie's ill will, which I can attempt to defend against by specifying explicit constraints). Sometimes the only winning move is not to play.

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