[ExI] From Friendly AI to Loving AI

Keith Henson hkeithhenson at gmail.com
Sat May 21 17:52:49 UTC 2011


On Sat, May 21, 2011 at 6:18 AM, Stefano Vaj <stefano.vaj at gmail.com> wrote:
> On 18 May 2011 22:48, Samantha Atkins <sjatkins at mac.com> wrote:
>> It strikes me that much of our evolved psychology will be increasingly in
>> the way of our future progress as our environment gets further and further
>> away from the environment those traits were evolved in and for.  So
>> self-control is likely crucial to our achieving our H+ dreams.
>
> In any event, if transhumanism were to have its way, we are going to
> control more and more of *both* our environments ("real" and virtual)
> *and* of our psychology, so that we shall be able to combine them as
> it pleases us best, hopefully in rich and diverse ways.

> As to religion and magic, I am inclined to consider their best part in
> terms of psychology-controlling technologies. And what is there not to
> be liked about that from a transhumanist POV?

Marvin Minsky has a good deal to say about the dangers of messing with
our psychology.  It would be the easiest thing in the world to make
changes that you could not back out of because you didn't want to.  I
think Eric Drexler had similar thoughts.

> BTW, "control" means not
> just the ability to repress, but also the ability to excite at will.
>
> Another problem is when such technologies are instrumental to odious
> goals, as it is mostly the case for monotheist persuasions.

Theists of any kind are going to have a rough time when they have
beings around that effectively *are* gods.

We are in for some very strange times.

Keith




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