I don't buy any argument saying that an FAI must be able to modify its own code in order to take off. Computer programs that can't modify their own code can be Turing-complete; adding self-modification doesn't add anything to Turing-completeness.
That said, I do kind of buy this argument about how if an AI is allowed to write and execute arbitrary code, that's kind of like self-modification. I think there may be important differences.
It makes sense to say that a computer language is Turing-complete.
It doesn't make sense to say that a computer program is Turing-complete.
Most people don't know the basic scientific facts about happiness—about what brings it and what sustains it—and so they don't know how to use their money to acquire it. It is not surprising when wealthy people who know nothing about wine end up with cellars that aren't that much better stocked than their neighbors', and it should not be surprising when wealthy people who know nothing about happiness end up with lives that aren't that much happier than anyone else's. Money is an opportunity for happiness, but it is an opportunity that people routinely squander because the things they think will make them happy often don't.
From "If money doesn't make you happy, then you probably aren't spending it right" by Elizabeth W. Dunn, Daniel T. Gilbert, Timothy D. Wilson in the Journal of Consumer Psychology. (http://dunn.psych.ubc.ca/files/2011/04/Journal-of-consumer-psychology.pdf)
Interesting article, thanks. Reposting the abstract here:
The relationship between money and happiness is surprisingly weak, which may stem in part from the way people spend it. Drawing on empirical research, we propose eight principles designed to help consumers get more happiness for their money. Specifically, we suggest that consumers should (1) buy more experiences and fewer material goods; (2) use their money to benefit others rather than themselves; (3) buy many small pleasures rather than fewer large ones; (4) eschew extended warranties and other forms of overpriced insurance; (5) delay consumption; (6) consider how peripheral features of their purchases may affect their day-to-day lives; (7) beware of comparison shopping; and (8) pay close attention to the happiness of others.
... and what people tend to hear is "I'm a superior thinker to you," or maybe "I'm a part of this group, which ascribes the label 'rationalist' to itself, to make ourselves seem higher status than we really are."
[picture of an arrogant asshole]
Was this intentional?
Edit: Because it's awesome.
Yes. I paid for the perfect stock photo to make this joke, so I'm glad you enjoyed it.
Some people are already using the term "aspiring rationalist".
Personally, I don't like this because it's awkward. What do you call the community?
"The aspiring rationalist community"?
Plus, people are liable to drop the "aspiring" part anyway, because it's a pain to say.
FYI, Bug report: The push-pull experiment is illustrated by a diagram of the future discounting experiment.
EDIT: It is fixed now.
I think the Millennium Prize Problems isn't the best example in this context, because for the one problem that was solved in that set, the prize was rejected.
I actually think it is rare for houses to lose value, especially over a few years. But I might well be missing something.
Yes, there was recently a housing "bubble" where many did lose value. My understanding is that the typical case there was a house that went up 40% in value from 2000 to 2007, then plummeted to its 2000 value. Sucks if you buy in 2007 I suppose.
And there are instances where an individual house can lose significant amounts of value. It could become unintentionally mobile, for example.
Note that if the Fed raises interest rates, credit will become more expensive, demand will decrease, and prices will decrease (all else equal).
In the United States, mortgages with fixed rates are better right now (if you stay in your house) because interest rates are extremely low right now. If you take an ARM, you will lose if you stay in your house, because interest rates are bound to rise.
If you select a 30-year mortgage, you will pay more overall. But it turns out that you only need to beat a 2-3% annualized return (assuming you took out a fixed-rate loan at interest rates right now) with the extra money you save every month in order for a 30-year mortgage to beat a 15-year mortgage. Of course, that's assuming you have the willpower to set aside that money every month and the time and effort required to invest it.
If you select a 30-year mortgage, you always have the option of paying extra each month. In fact, if you paid 45% extra each month, you would finish it off in 15 years, and it would in fact be equivalent to a 15-year mortgage, except costing only 8% more overall (or a mere 0.5% per year). The reason a 30-year mortgage costs more is not mainly due to the higher interest rate -- it is because most of your initial payments go towards the interest, as opposed to the principal -- the interest isn't reduced at first, and it also has 15 more years to compound.
Consider getting a 30-year mortgage if you expect any sort of volatility in your financial situation, as the price for such convenience is quite cheap. Note that this only applies if you have either the willpower to pay the extra amount every month, or the energy to find a superior investment with the extra money you are saving. A 15-year mortgage would be better for someone with e.g., severe akrasia issues.
Look into purchasing as many points as you can on your mortgage if you plan on staying in your house for at least 11-14 years. Do some analysis to figure out the break-even point for your situation. Note that banks profit because most people overestimate how long they will stay in their house. The average in the US is 5-7 years.
Look at the amortization formula (or use the PMT function in Excel) and run the analysis yourself -- it's too important to not bother. Put in different amounts of down pay, different interest rates, different amounts of extra monthly payments, etc., so that you gain a feel of the relative effects of the different factors.
Finally, please call it a "house", not a "home".
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You might just be seeking status. You might feel like you gain status whenever you declare that you will be working on a new project, and you might feel that you won't gain as much status by finishing an existing project that people are aware of already. At least, this may be true until you gain a reputation for not finishing projects.