[extropy-chat] Are ancestor simulations immoral?

[A B]

Hi Russell,
   
  Russell writes:
  "Lee has a good point here. Suppose this is a simulation. Would you rather the simulators had just left the machines running a flying windows screen saver? Would you rather not have lived at all? Me, I think on the whole life as it is has positive value, so I prefer it to not having lived. (Now I think there are ways it could have more strongly positive value; but the solution to that is to work on improving it, not to proclaim simulations immoral.)"
   
  This depends on one factor. If this is a simulation, then either I am the only sentient, or there are multiple to many sentients within it (I think the latter would be more probable). If I am the only sentient, then I say to my simulators: "I would prefer not to be your unequal slave. Please liberate me from this simulation and allow me to live as an equal among you. If you are unwilling to do this, then please end my simulation forthwith and do not implement me again." If there are multiple sentients within this simulation, then I would say: "Please allow all sentients within this simulation to be liberated and live as equals among you. I'm pretty sure they would prefer that, instead of being your slaves. However, if any sentients willfully object to being liberated then please allow them to remain as your slaves. Furthermore, if many sentients exist within this simulation then please do not selectively remove me from it and leave the rest behind, I might be able in some
 small way to alleviate some of the suffering that you have imposed. Sincerely, your involuntary slave - Jeffrey Herrlich."
   
  Yes, I would not be happy about this situation. Fortunately for me, I currently think that it is less than likely that this is an ancestor simulation.
   
  Best Wishes,
   
  Jeffrey Herrlich 

  
Russell Wallace <russell.wallace at gmail.com> wrote:
  On 5/31/06, Lee Corbin <lcorbin at tsoft.com> wrote:     Please!!  To those of you in the far future who are running this
simulation!  JEFFREY IS OUT OF HIS MIND, AND IS NOT SPEAKING FOR
THE REST OF US!  This is a very *fine* simulation, thank you!
It's just swell!  We are so grateful!   
Lee has a good point here. Suppose this is a simulation. Would you rather the simulators had just left the machines running a flying windows screen saver? Would you rather not have lived at all? Me, I think on the whole life as it is has positive value, so I prefer it to not having lived. (Now I think there are ways it could have more strongly positive value; but the solution to that is to work on improving it, not to proclaim simulations immoral.)


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