Re: Who Should Live?

Eliezer S. Yudkowsky (sentience@pobox.com)
Wed, 17 Mar 1999 09:44:38 -0600

"J. R. Molloy" wrote:
>
> Eliezer S. Yudkowsky wrote,
> >Dear J.R. Molloy: I'm more talented and gifted than you are. Please
> >shoot yourself.
>
> That makes you sound neither talented nor gifted, but rather childish and
> self-absorbed.

Ah. I see that once again I have forgotten:

CLOSE CAPTIONED FOR THE HUMOR IMPAIRED:

"Dear J.R. Molloy: I'm more talented and gifted than you are."

THIS IS NOT INTENDED AS AN INDEPENDENT STATEMENT. YOU CAN TELL BECAUSE IT MIRRORS THE FORM OF A PREVIOUS STATEMENT YOU MADE. THIS IS A CLUE TO WHAT WE CALL **SARCASM**.

"Please shoot yourself."

SINCE NOBODY WOULD ACTUALLY CARRY OUT THIS COMMAND, IT'S INTENDED TO POINT OUT A LOGICAL CONSEQUENCE RATHER THAN AN IMPERATIVE. THE USE OF REDUCTIO AD ABSURDUM IS ANOTHER CLUE TO WHAT WE CALL **SARCASM**.

> You can't destroy information, you can only change it into other forms of
> information or disinformation. A "precaution" against destroying information
> seems simple indeed.

Oh, good. Can I have the Library of Alexandria back?

SINCE YOU CAN'T GIVE IT TO ME, THIS IS MEANT AS A COMMENTARY ON THE PREVIOUS STATEMENT, NOT AS A REQUEST. MAKING AN IMPOSSIBLE REQUEST MAY INDICATE THE PRESENCE OF WHAT WE CALL **SARCASM**. 

-- 
        sentience@pobox.com          Eliezer S. Yudkowsky
         http://pobox.com/~sentience/AI_design.temp.html
          http://pobox.com/~sentience/singul_arity.html
Disclaimer:  Unless otherwise specified, I'm not telling you
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