[extropy-chat] Blue people and behavior

[Brett Paatsch]

Robert Bradbury wrote:

> Ok, I'm trying out whether my new email address will
> allow me to participate in the list.
> 
> Kevin and Dan have raised interesting points with regard
> to both time sensing and our responses to it (things which
> have inherent preprogrammed biological components 
> though they have not been discussed).
> 
> Let us just propose reality is indeed determined by the blue
> people (i.e. we are within a sim constructed on demand).  
> [For the references on the "blue people" you will need to
> dig deep into either the ExI archives or Google -- it is based
> upon old SciFi stories.  For the sim concepts one has to 
> deal with recent works by Robert Freitas and Nick
> Bostrom (plus perhaps others -- Damien might offer a
> SciFi history???).]
> 
> At any rate --  assume we are in a sim.  Assume reality is
> constructed "on demand".  Does this alter ones (a) morality;
> or (b) behavior on a day-to-day basis?  Why or why not?

Sim or no sim the universe I inhabit is one I perceive from
the standpoint of my "self" (a concept folks can play with
if they wish but I don't doubt a referent) and with my senses
arbitarily classified into 5 usually but not necessarily.

I can create a myth that would allow for a sim the same
as I can create a myth that would allow for the existence
of an external-god but why would I bother unless I am 
trying to con someone else. There is challenge enough and
life enough to postpone the problem if there are any problems
of being in a sim to later - when its the most pressing question
- for now it is a long way away from even seeming important
and I regard all notions of sims as later day flights of fancy
by a computer savvy group of individuals whos capacity for
myth making is as good as their predecessors but whose
understanding of science is better and whose desire to live
is about the same. 

I see the sim scenario as a new call for external assistance.
It is distracting because if the cavalry is not out there to come
we had better get by on our own and if it is (out there -perhaps
in the form of a sim designer) then there is little we (or I) can 
do about contacting it (so far as I can see). 

My attitude to any sim designer would be pretty much Diogenes
attitude to Alexander, if the sim-designer wants my attention
for its ego it can talk to the extended middle digit which I will not
spare for very long as I need it too work with as well - if its
friendly I will be friendly in return otherwise I hope it stays out 
of the way as there is plenty of work to do and sim or no sim the 
hazard functions I perceive are the ones I am going to work 
against. 

Regards,
Brett 
[a-theist and a-sim-ist]