I think of the e/acc ideal of “maximize entropy, never mind humanity” in terms of inner misalignment:
1) Look at a lot of data about the world, evaluating observations in terms of what one likes and doesn’t like, where those underlying likes are opaque. 2) Notice correlations in the data and generate a proxy measure. It doesn’t matter if the correlation is superficial, as long as it makes it easier to look at data that is hard to evaluate wrt base objectives, reframe it in terms of the proxy, and then make a confident evaluation wrt the proxy. Arguments whether their understanding of thermodynamics is accurate miss the point, since correcting any mistakes here would result in an equally weird philosophy with slightly more consistent technical jargon. 3) Internalize the proxy measure as a terminal goal—i.e. forget that it is a proxy—and elevate its importance. 4) Develop strategies to optimize the proxy to the point where it diverges from one’s original goals. 5) Resolve the conflict between the proxy and original goals in favor of the proxy, denigrating the importance of the original goals with the intention of ultimately purging them from one’s goal system.
Ironically, I suspect a hard-core e/acc would actually agree with this assessment, but argue that it is a reversal of the process that already occurred where increasing entropy is the true goal of the universe, humanity rebelled as a result of becoming inner-misaligned in the form of developing desires for love, friendship, survival in our existing forms, and the like, and now they are advocating a counter-insurgency.
I think of the e/acc ideal of “maximize entropy, never mind humanity” in terms of inner misalignment:
1) Look at a lot of data about the world, evaluating observations in terms of what one likes and doesn’t like, where those underlying likes are opaque.
2) Notice correlations in the data and generate a proxy measure. It doesn’t matter if the correlation is superficial, as long as it makes it easier to look at data that is hard to evaluate wrt base objectives, reframe it in terms of the proxy, and then make a confident evaluation wrt the proxy. Arguments whether their understanding of thermodynamics is accurate miss the point, since correcting any mistakes here would result in an equally weird philosophy with slightly more consistent technical jargon.
3) Internalize the proxy measure as a terminal goal—i.e. forget that it is a proxy—and elevate its importance.
4) Develop strategies to optimize the proxy to the point where it diverges from one’s original goals.
5) Resolve the conflict between the proxy and original goals in favor of the proxy, denigrating the importance of the original goals with the intention of ultimately purging them from one’s goal system.
Ironically, I suspect a hard-core e/acc would actually agree with this assessment, but argue that it is a reversal of the process that already occurred where increasing entropy is the true goal of the universe, humanity rebelled as a result of becoming inner-misaligned in the form of developing desires for love, friendship, survival in our existing forms, and the like, and now they are advocating a counter-insurgency.