[extropy-chat] A brief transhuman life, anyone?

[Eliezer Yudkowsky]

Russell Wallace wrote:
> On Sun, 6 Feb 2005 17:41:29 -0800, Rick <aperick at centurytel.net> wrote:
> 
>>Which is it for you, avoiding death? Or, transcending the issues and limits
>>of a naturally evolved lifestyle? Resist the urge to not face the question
>>and claim they are equal, you must pick one.
> 
> Neither. The prospect of my death is an annoying one, but there's no
> point getting upset over it; in the postulated scenario, I cannot
> choose whether it happens, but I can choose how I react to it. The
> deciding factor for me is that if I take the offer under the terms
> given (presumably by a voyeuristic and marginally Friendly alien SI or
> somesuch?), I am forbidden to help humanity in any way - whereas there
> is no such restriction if I decline the offer. (My chances are
> obviously less, as a human, but at least I'm free to _try_.)
> Therefore, I decline.
> 
> - Russell

I agree and change my decision.

-- 
Eliezer S. Yudkowsky                          http://singinst.org/
Research Fellow, Singularity Institute for Artificial Intelligence