Re: The Conjunction Fallacy Fallacy

From: John K Clark (jonkc@att.net)
Date: Mon Aug 28 2006 - 15:46:03 MDT


"Eliezer S. Yudkowsky" <sentience@pobox.com>

> The *notion* that this list is intolerant of disagreement
> could do some harm, though, which is why I am emphasizing
> that I do not, pragmatically, see any hint that this is the case.
> [...] This list is as tolerant as ever of disagreement

Eliezer, I haven't been following your debate with Loosemore in any detail
and don't wish to get involved in it, but I did read your above statement.
Eliezer you are one smart fellow and I respect the hell out of you, but as a
friend let me tell you that the statement that I quote you of saying above
is pure unadulterated bullshit.

On June 8 of this year I was told that a issue I had brought up, something
that is at the very heart of the entire "friendly AI" concept must never be
discussed on this list again. I won't say what it was because as I said at
the time I believe in private property and it's your list not mine. Perhaps
you banned the topic because you thought the idea was just stupid, and I
grant you someone can be absolutely positively 100% certain of something and
still be dead wrong; but Eliezer, I am CERTAIN I was not stupid. Every fiber
of my being screams that this is the single most important fact about the
singularity dwarfing all others. I am told this list is dedicated to
discussing the Singularity, but I can't discus the most important fact about
it.

You have a right to do whatever you like with your private property, but
please don't say this list is tolerant of intelligent disagreement. And I
tend to think if you really want to discover the truth about the universe
this is a profound impediment to fulfilling your goal.

  John K Clark



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