[extropy-chat] Analyzing the simulation argument

[Mike Lorrey]

--- Eliezer Yudkowsky <sentience at pobox.com> wrote:

> Mike Lorrey wrote:
> > The important thing is that the simulation argument is the
> > meme virus by which we can infect theists worldwide with
> transhumanism.
> 
> Infect people with a non-personally-believed meme!  What a
> wonderfully euphemistic way of saying, "lie".

Oh please Eli, you are not THAT pollyannish. Besides, how do YOU know
its a lie if you can't prove it to be false? So, no, it isn't a lie. It
is presenting a transhumanist worldview in language that a theist can
understand and accept because it works in their memespace.

What you are really saying is that it is too contrary to the immature
and insecure atheism that you cling to too tightly for a truly rational
man, for you to be able to communicate with people in a different
memespace in a way they can understand and accept. You being a bad
salesman of something you don't believe in with all your heart is a
different thing from the idea being a lie.

I would have thought that a self-declared "Bayesian master" such as
yourself would have seen the obvious odds inherent in the SA and
admitted that your atheism is not so much of a sure thing as you had
once believed.

Or is it that you think humanity will have no future, that AI will wipe
it out and have no need of running simulations?

=====
Mike Lorrey
Vice-Chair, 2nd District, Libertarian Party of NH
"Necessity is the plea for every infringement of human freedom.
It is the argument of tyrants; it is the creed of slaves."
                                      -William Pitt (1759-1806) 
Blog: http://www.xanga.com/home.aspx?user=Sadomikeyism


	
		
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