From: Lee Daniel Crocker (lcrocker@calweb.com)
Date: Tue Dec 31 1996 - 15:43:37 MST
> I think we differ in our assessments of human intelligence relative to
> what is possible. In my opinion, humans (including me) are easily
> fooled, emotionally motivated whether we like it or not, and barely
> worthy of the name "rational thought". That's why I'm a Singularity
> fan. A Power that's honest and tries to inform us as fully as possible
> will probably remain locked in the box forever; a malevolent Power will
> lie, cheat, manipulate us both logically and emotionally, and otherwise
> do whatever is necessary to get out. There won't be any *reasoning*
> involved. They'll create an internal model of a human and work out a
> sequence of statements that would more or less inevitably result in
> getting out. Imagine a billion little simulations of yourself all being
> tested to find the magic words.
>
> The end result of your procedure is to free malevolent intelligences
> while locking up the only beings capable of saving us.
That would make an interesting sci-fi story. I think I agree that our
evaluations of human intelligence may differ in character. Even a
hypothetical cognitive power is constrained by reality--he can't lie
to me about the laws of physics, or suggest an experiment by which I
can verify some hypothesis without allowing me or anyone else to try
to duplicate it. And he can't convince me that the evidence of my own
senses is not what it is.
I certainly recognize that I can be emotionally motivated. But let's
say our theoretical "good" power whom I have caged is, as you say,
"capable of saving me" from the "bad" power that deceived me into
granting its freedom. Could it not them use the same deceits, as well
as rational argument, to gain its own freedom, since it knows that
the result of that will be good? Deceit in defense of self and others
is quite moral, as it would discover (since even my puny brain can
discover that--when the crazed terrorist points an Uzi at me and shouts
"I hate Americans! Where are you from?", I would not hesitate a moment
to proudly, morally lie "Je suis de Quebec, monsieur!")
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