Re: Transforming Ourselves

From: Eliezer Yudkowsky (eliezer@pobox.com)
Date: Sun Nov 17 1996 - 22:57:48 MST


What paranoia!

If I became a Power, I would upload the rest of humanity,
not murder you for your spare atoms. *I* am: <drum roll>

                SMART ENOUGH TO BE ETHICAL

So, presumably, are They.

The Powers will be more ethical than we are because:

1) They won't be distracted by morality.
        - Morality can be defined as the set of emotional reflexes
        given us by evolution to promote our inclusive fitness.

2) They'll be able to solve the hard problem of ethics.
        - What is the meaning of life?

3) Nothing will threaten Them.
        - In order to threaten Them, the offender would have to
        reach a point where ethical behavior is obvious and
        compelling.

Why wouldn't They upload us?

-- 
          eliezer@pobox.com     Eliezer S. Yudkowsky
          "I'm sorry, my karma ran over your dogma."
Disclaimer:  Unless otherwise specified, I'm not telling you
everything I know.


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