From: Tennessee Leeuwenburg (tennessee@tennessee.id.au)
Date: Wed Aug 30 2006 - 20:58:06 MDT
Olie Lamb wrote:
> On 8/31/06, John K Clark <jonkc@att.net> wrote:
>> The only way a AI would not want more control over the universe is if
>> was
>> already 100% happy, if the universe was already exactly precisely the
>> way he
>> wanted it to be then there would be no reason to do anything and it
>> would
>> just sit there like a big lump. It would not only be 100% happy and 100%
>> friendly it would be 100% useless pointlessly soaking up electrical
>> current
>> like a glorified space heater.
>
> Y'know, John, you're close to realising something there.
>
> Have a think for a little while about what you've just written. I
> strongly encourage you to read it slowly and calmly a few times. Let
> your brain mull over it.
>
> In particular, think about the word "useless".
>
> Now, also consider "Transitive concepts". A good example of a
> transitive concept is "Need". One can't *just* need something; one
> must need something /for/ something.
>
> Do you consider the word "useless" to be a transitive concept?
>
> Keep thinking.
>
> Keep thinking...
>
Not so. There are many things which I simply need, depending on your
definition of need. Define need.
Cheers,
-T
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