RE: Coercive Transhuman Memes and Exponential Cults

From: Ben Houston (ben@exocortex.org)
Date: Mon Jun 11 2001 - 21:38:27 MDT


Hi Eliezer,

I have only read this description of the "Sysop Scenario":
  http://intelligence.org/CFAI/guidesysop.html#sysop

I think it is very interesting and similar to a project that I am mildly
involved in.

I am not sure that I understand it from that description those. It
seems to be suggesting that one create an overarching benevolent
controller that looks out for the well being of all those in its realm
-- a benevolent god if you will. If that is the case I do not think
such omnipotence is feasible for the same reason that it is very
difficult to predict the stock market with accuracy -- it is a chaotic
recursive system composed of learning entities. I suggest that anytime
less than omnipotence will be ineffective in actually controlling the
fates of all the individual actors -- there will always exist some that
are being taken advantage of by others in either over or subtle ways.

But then again I may be misunderstanding the Sysop Scenario or your what
you are implying by it.

Take care,
-ben houston
http://www.exocortex.org/~ben

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-sl4@sysopmind.com [mailto:owner-sl4@sysopmind.com] On Behalf
Of Eliezer S. Yudkowsky
Sent: Monday, June 11, 2001 10:54 PM
To: sl4@sysopmind.com
Subject: Re: Coercive Transhuman Memes and Exponential Cults

Ben Houston wrote:
>
> Hi Eliezer,
>
> I feat that those not at the top of the reasoning ability hierarchy
will
> always be easy pons for those that are no matter what controls are in
> place. My suggestion is to make sure that you are not too far from
the
> top.
>
> Somewhat dystopian outlook on things but that's the way it works now
and
> I don't see it changing in the future.

Are you familiar with the Sysop Scenario?

-- -- -- -- --
Eliezer S. Yudkowsky http://intelligence.org/
Research Fellow, Singularity Institute for Artificial Intelligence



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