Re: Matrix Shmatrix

Eliezer S. Yudkowsky (sentience@pobox.com)
Sat, 10 Apr 1999 20:35:26 -0500

Scott Badger wrote:
>
> He told Morpheus that the
> original simulation was a paradise for humans, but it didn't work out
> because there's something about human nature that prevents us from adapting
> to such an environment. It would seem that we are wired for misery. Very
> non-transhumanistic I must say. And wouldn't that idea suggest that humans
> would not be able to adapt to heaven if it existed?

What on Earth do you think you're thinking? You're reasoning from your ideals to reality!

In fact, it seems perfectly reasonably to assume that the human brain is no more designed to be happy and immortal than it is designed to run spreadsheets. Condition not present in ancestral environment. Limited memory capacity, emotional problems. Major redesign required.

-- 
        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
everything I think I know.