I disagree. It seems to me that people who have music creation as a terminal goal are more likely to create good music than people who have music creation as an instrumental goal. Humans are not perfect rationalists, and human motivation is a fickle beast. If you want to be a music star, and you have control over your terminal goals, I strongly suggest adopting a terminal goal of creating good music.
I suggest that you abandon the word ‘terminal’ and simply speak of goals. You are using the word incorrectly and so undermining whatever other point you may have had.
Thanks. Looks like I was using the word as I intended to.
My point is that humans (who are imperfect decision makers and not in full control of their motivational systems) may actually benefit from changing their terminal goals, even though perfectly rational agents with consistent utility functions never would want to.
Humans are not always consistent, and making yourself consistent can involve dropping or acquiring terminal goals. (Consider a converted slaveowner acquiring a terminal goal of improving quality of life for all humans.)
My original point stems from two observations: Firstly, that many people seem to have lost purposes where their terminal goals should be. Secondly, that some humans may find it difficult to “trick” their goal system.
You may find it easier to achieve “future me is a music star” by sending a version of yourself with different terminal goals (wanting to make music) into the future, as opposed to sending a version of you who makes music for fame’s sake. (The assumption here is that the music you make in the former case is better, and that you don’t have access to it in the latter case, because humans find it difficult to trick their goal system.)
This is somewhat related to purchasing warm fuzzies. There are some things you cannot achieve by willpower alone. In order to achieve your current terminal goals, you may need to change your terminal goals.
I realize that this is a potentially uncomfortable conclusion, but I reject wedrifid’s claim that I was misusing the word.
You used the phrase ‘terminal goals’. This describes adopting an instrumental goal. Nyan’s criticism applies.
I disagree. It seems to me that people who have music creation as a terminal goal are more likely to create good music than people who have music creation as an instrumental goal. Humans are not perfect rationalists, and human motivation is a fickle beast. If you want to be a music star, and you have control over your terminal goals, I strongly suggest adopting a terminal goal of creating good music.
I suggest that you abandon the word ‘terminal’ and simply speak of goals. You are using the word incorrectly and so undermining whatever other point you may have had.
What do you think the word “terminal” means in this context, and what do you think I think it means?
Edit: Seriously, I’m not being facetious. I think I am using the word correctly, and if I’m not, I’d like to know. The downvotes tell me little.
In local parlance, “terminal” values are a decision maker’s ultimate values, the things they consider ends in themselves.
A decision maker should never want to change their terminal values.
For example, if a being has “wanting to be a music star” as a terminal value, than it should adopt “wanting to make music” as an instrumental value.
For humans, how these values feel psychologically is a different question from whether they are terminal or not.
See here for more information
Thanks. Looks like I was using the word as I intended to.
My point is that humans (who are imperfect decision makers and not in full control of their motivational systems) may actually benefit from changing their terminal goals, even though perfectly rational agents with consistent utility functions never would want to.
Humans are not always consistent, and making yourself consistent can involve dropping or acquiring terminal goals. (Consider a converted slaveowner acquiring a terminal goal of improving quality of life for all humans.)
My original point stems from two observations: Firstly, that many people seem to have lost purposes where their terminal goals should be. Secondly, that some humans may find it difficult to “trick” their goal system.
You may find it easier to achieve “future me is a music star” by sending a version of yourself with different terminal goals (wanting to make music) into the future, as opposed to sending a version of you who makes music for fame’s sake. (The assumption here is that the music you make in the former case is better, and that you don’t have access to it in the latter case, because humans find it difficult to trick their goal system.)
This is somewhat related to purchasing warm fuzzies. There are some things you cannot achieve by willpower alone. In order to achieve your current terminal goals, you may need to change your terminal goals.
I realize that this is a potentially uncomfortable conclusion, but I reject wedrifid’s claim that I was misusing the word.