Minerva was going over the Transfiguration parchment due Monday, and had just marked down to negative two hundred points a fifth-year parchment with an error that could have potentially killed someone. During her first year as a professor she’d been indignant at the folly of older students, now she was just resigned. Some people not only never learned, they never noticed that they were hopeless, they stayed bright and eager and kept on trying. Sometimes they believed you when you told them, before they left Hogwarts, that they must never try anything unusual, give up free Transfiguration and use the art only through established Charms; and sometimes… they didn’t.
“It’s better if you don’t even try”—I wonder what inspired that sentiment.
When I read that I assumed it was a critique of people who are bright enough to plausibly create an AGI but not bright enough to make sure it is friendly.
I took it as yet another veiled criticism of the original books, although I’ll admit I don’t offhand remember any transfiguration mistakes in Order of the Phoenix.
I only read the last book (or two). Maybe you’re right, but I took it as an expression of frustration with well-meaning but net-harmful people in some area of Eliezer’s interest.
Ouch (ch 68):
“It’s better if you don’t even try”—I wonder what inspired that sentiment.
When I read that I assumed it was a critique of people who are bright enough to plausibly create an AGI but not bright enough to make sure it is friendly.
They shouldn’t “try anything unusual”.
I took it as yet another veiled criticism of the original books, although I’ll admit I don’t offhand remember any transfiguration mistakes in Order of the Phoenix.
I only read the last book (or two). Maybe you’re right, but I took it as an expression of frustration with well-meaning but net-harmful people in some area of Eliezer’s interest.
Looks definitely like a real-world reference to me though.