4 ms·

(1) You could have said the same thing about cell phones, cars or any other technology which started out expensive before it scaled to the point where most peop

(1) You could have said the same thing about cell phones, cars or any other technology which started out expensive before it scaled to the point where most people could afford it. (2) If you fear death to much, you might not fight to the death in a war. Not everything in our culture makes sense in the modern world. (3) https://nickbostrom.com/fable/dragon.html https://nickbostrom.com/fable/dragon.html

nostromo95 9y ago
(1) Yes, but from a utilitarian perspective cell phones, cars, and any other technology offered finite utility over their alternatives, whereas immortality offers infinite utility over the alternative of death. (2) ? unsure about what you're saying here. (3) Okay yeah, sure, I've read that before. I don't think he offers a (currently) practical alternative to "resignation coupled with an effort to achieve closure in practical affairs and personal relationships." The harsh reality is that we'll probably die--why would I choose to conceptualize this as a violent death from a dragon? That'd surely lead to despair in my last years.
- jimrandomh 9y ago
  (1) Are you saying that immortality is bad because it's infinitely good? That seems like an argument for bringing immortality to everyone as soon as possible. (2) I'm saying that one of the reasons why death is viewed as cowardly is because that belief is promoted by generals in order to make their soldiers more willing to die in battle. If that's where the idea comes from, then we should reject it, because willingness to die in battle is no longer a good thing.
  - nostromo95 9y ago
    Yes, I’m saying that because immortality is infinitely good, the inequality of some people (super-rich) getting it while others (the poor) don’t is (infinitely?) more unnacceptable than any wealth inequality there has been in the past.

4 ms·

(1) You could have said the same thing about cell phones, cars or any other technology which started out expensive before it scaled to the point where most peop

by jimrandomh 9y ago

nostromo95 9y ago
(1) Yes, but from a utilitarian perspective cell phones, cars, and any other technology offered finite utility over their alternatives, whereas immortality offers infinite utility over the alternative of death. (2) ? unsure about what you're saying here. (3) Okay yeah, sure, I've read that before. I don't think he offers a (currently) practical alternative to "resignation coupled with an effort to achieve closure in practical affairs and personal relationships." The harsh reality is that we'll probably die--why would I choose to conceptualize this as a violent death from a dragon? That'd surely lead to despair in my last years.
- jimrandomh 9y ago
  (1) Are you saying that immortality is bad because it's infinitely good? That seems like an argument for bringing immortality to everyone as soon as possible. (2) I'm saying that one of the reasons why death is viewed as cowardly is because that belief is promoted by generals in order to make their soldiers more willing to die in battle. If that's where the idea comes from, then we should reject it, because willingness to die in battle is no longer a good thing.
  - nostromo95 9y ago
    Yes, I’m saying that because immortality is infinitely good, the inequality of some people (super-rich) getting it while others (the poor) don’t is (infinitely?) more unnacceptable than any wealth inequality there has been in the past.