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Considering the amount of pointless suffering in human life, I've inclined to believe that no super-intelligent mind will simulate reality like ours, on ethical
by d_silin 6y ago
Considering the amount of pointless suffering in human life, I've inclined to believe that no super-intelligent mind will simulate reality like ours, on ethical grounds alone.
- adrianN 6y agoYou didn't play a lot of Rollercoaster Tycoon did you? Why would the entity controlling the simulation care about simulated suffering?
- d_silin 6y agoMy hypothesis is that ethics has to evolve to match technology development for any advanced civilization, to avoid self-destruction.
- daniel957 6y agoI played a lot of Rollercoaster Tycoon and always cleaned up the vomit. I put out the fires in the Sims and made sure the burglar didn’t burgle.
- owenshen24 6y agoSSC has an interesting take on theodicy that addresses this claim: https://slatestarcodex.com/2015/03/15/answer-to-job/ https://slatestarcodex.com/2015/03/15/answer-to-job/
- mark254 6y agoIt might not be on purpose... You may want to read some Stanislav Lem, about Trurl and Klapauzius. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Cyberiad https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Cyberiad
- coldtea 6y agoWell, if it's a simulation there's no "suffering" in some way, anymore than Grand Theft Auto is suffering because people get shot and beaten. It's just bits playing the "suffering" mode.
- comboy 6y agos/bits/atoms
- coldtea 6y agoThere's no real distinction between bits and atoms in a simulation. Atoms are just bits.
- comboy 6y agoI meant that you could make the same argument for non-simulated reality.
- coldtea 6y agoTrue, but traditionally we do ascribe moral agency / capacity for suffering to persons made of atoms (as opposed to bits).
- comboy 6y agoTraditionally we used to kill animals (or even people) to satisfy gods. We learn. If you are assuming you are made of atoms and consciousness is emergent property that is not breaking any laws of physics, then.. well instead of giving up and deleting it, I'll just say you know exactly how the argument goes but if you feel simulated atoms don't cause suffering they way real ones do I'm unlikely to change your mind. I think that's 1=2 though.
- draugadrotten 6y agoThere's already some people claiming moral rights on behalf of video game characters. https://www.vox.com/2014/4/23/5643418/this-guy-thinks-killing-video-game-characters-is-immoral https://www.vox.com/2014/4/23/5643418/this-guy-thinks-killin...