[ExI] AI motivations

[Keith Henson]

Re recent treads, the main positive human motivation is seeking
status, that is the high opinion of our fellow humans.  It's the
reason lawyers give up high paying jobs for the relatively higher
status of being a judge and the reason people work hard for the chance
at a Nobel prize.  Given out hunter-gatherer background and the
evolutionary value of status (especially for males) in successful
reproduction, it an understandable motive.

There are numerous human traits, for example being subject to
spreading xenophobic memes when bleak times are anticipated, that I
would not want an AI to have.  However being motivated to seek the
good opinion of humans and it's own kind seems like a fairly safe
fundamental and flexible motive for AIs.

Though I could be persuaded otherwise if people have good arguments as
to why it is not a good idea.

Keith