[extropy-chat] Newcomb's Paradox (was Superrationality)

[Russell Wallace]

On 5/21/06, Lee Corbin <lcorbin at tsoft.com> wrote:
>
> You've lost me.  Aren't you talking about Newcomb's Paradox?  Indulge me,
> and let's keep *this* new thread on the NP (thanks!).


Oh, no, I was talking about the PD again but am quite happy to move on at
this stage.

Dear, dear.  This really is one case where we shouldn't get carried
> away.


Well yes, that's my point. As I said, I was trying to paraphrase, in order
to communicate the flavor of, the arguments that were made for
"superrationality" (which I don't have any truck with) and suchlike
concepts.

None of this was supposed to be about real life. At least not until
> we've solved the strictly theoretical cases of what the optimal
> strategies are.  THEN, maybe----and only maybe---should we wonder
> whether this has implications for real life.


No problem - part of my point being that as long as one is doing that, it is
important to be dispassionate about it, and not let emotion and value
judgement backflow into one's mathematics; I dwelt on "superrationality"
because it is an excellent example of a fallacy resulting directly from such
backflow.
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