Re: Singularity vs Free Will: False Dichotomy?

Samael (Samael@dial.pipex.com)
Thu, 10 Dec 1998 09:14:35 -0000

-----Original Message-----
From: Eliezer S. Yudkowsky <sentience@pobox.com> To: extropians@extropy.com <extropians@extropy.com> Date: 09 December 1998 19:15
Subject: Re: Singularity vs Free Will: False Dichotomy?

>Paul Hughes wrote:
>>
>> Since you seem to be suggesting that models of intelligence positing the
>> existence of brain states beyond the conventional linear styles of
thinking
>> are gibberish, what are your alternatives?
>
>I have to agree that Wilson's hierarchy is total gibberish, cognitively
>speaking. Any attempt to characterize one mental state as "higher" than
>another usually is.

Not so much higher as occuring after each other and taking precedence over each other. People who have reached rationalism tend to have passed through territirialism and simple towards/away reactions on the way there and tend to look down on them. People also revert to 'lower' states when stressed.

>As for an alternative, I'm not sure which fact needs to be explained. (I
>certainly don't see any fact requiring that complex an explanation.) Where
>does genius come from? From computation. What kind of computation? See
>"Coding a Transhuman AI".

How about why do sometimes rational people act in a territorial way? How do rational people avoid reacting badly to being scared? Why do people act in the way that they do? It (If we're talking about Prometheus Rising) attempt to answer these questins. Obviously it's not entirely successful, but it does have a lot of interesting ideas.

Samael