From: Eliezer S. Yudkowsky (sentience@pobox.com)
Date: Tue Feb 26 2002 - 10:03:59 MST
Mark Walker wrote:
>
> I count among the cultural activists, but not because without a
> cultural critique we must be resigned to "a passive role". My reasoning is
> more pragmatic and less Heideggerian. Think of it in terms of a sort of
> Pascalian wager. If we attempt to fine-tune our culture and the posthuman
> breach is so vast that our efforts were in vain then little is lost. If we
> attempt to fine-tune our culture and it has positive influence on the
> posthuman future then all is gained. If we are passive and our efforts would
> have had a positive influence on future events then all is lost. If we are
> passive and our efforts would have had no effect then little is gained
> (perhaps watching a little more tv, etc.).
Trying to influence present-day culture in the hopes of influencing
post-Singularity culture(*) is not the only possible way of entangling
yourself in the Singularity. If you overestimate the relative importance of
"cultural development" then you run the risk of investing your limited
resources incorrectly.
-- -- -- -- --
Eliezer S. Yudkowsky http://singinst.org/
Research Fellow, Singularity Institute for Artificial Intelligence
(*) Yeah, right.
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