From: Samantha Atkins (samantha@objectent.com)
Date: Fri Nov 15 2002 - 00:09:23 MST
Lee Corbin wrote:
>Samantha writes
>
>
>
>>>>You would think that our lives were rather boring and that we
>>>>are at pains to take any excuse imaginable for a little diversion
>>>>judging from the recent predominant list topics. For the sake of
>>>>*the* future, starting with our own, I hope this is simply a
>>>>temporary anomaly.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>Me, too. The inappropriately named thread "duck me" still holds
>>>my attention because I'm curious about the psychology of what will
>>>happen when uploads spawn copies of themselves and how they'll
>>>value each other. Moreover, I would still like to become more
>>>quiescent about my own anticipations, *anticipation* remaining
>>>a central part of my daily life, yet evidently theoretically
>>>incoherent.
>>>
>>>
>
>
>>Or how we effectively combine and augment our intelligence
>>to achieve some of our goals?
>>
>>
>
>Unfortunately vague, for my tastes. But I'm willing to
>listen to any provocative ideas.
>
>
What do you mean by "vague"? Finding ways to augment and more
effectively use our intelligence is at the heart of whether we succeed
or fail in our goals.
>
>
>>Quiescent? Meaning more at peace or seeing the future as less
>>problematic and threatening in this area?
>>
>>
>
>Yes. I want to internalize the truths about duplicates and
>selves, as I want to internalize mathematical and historical
>truths. Right now, I'm not totally decided about some
>issues involving anticipation (e.g., in the Clock/Torture
>experiment or quite similar thought experiments).
>
>
What "truths"? What does internalization look like or buy you here? I
don't see how it is reasonable to speak of "truths" in a realm of total
speculation like the alleged problems of identity with duplicates.
>
>
>>Reminds me of my former roomies who are utterly addicted to EverQuest.
>>They have played in nearly every waking moment they are not sleeping or
>>working the day job. They take a great deal of sense of accomplishment
>>in maxing out their characters. But of course it doesn't mean anything
>>real.
>>
>>
>
>Tastes vary, and there is no accounting for them. Evidently
>some quite intelligent people watch wrestling on TV.
>
>
This is a bromide. Choices of how one spends one's time very much can
be accounted for. Believing that there is no accounting for such
things absolves one of responsibility for how one spends the precious
time of one's life. It is yours to spend as you wish but it certainly
should be accounted for.
- samantha
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