Huh. Okay, I’m pretty sure I have an actual memory of inventing this, though I was hesitant about saying so. But I also remember inventing it at a fairly recent MIRI workshop, while the term clearly dates back to at least 2012. Maybe I saw and subconsciously remembered, or maybe “Cake or Death” is just the obvious thing to call utility alternatives.
“Cake or Death” was part of an Eddie Izzard joke from 1998-- I think it has achieved some kind of widespread memetic success, though, since I’ve seen it in quite a few places since.
Alas, I am the guilty party—I came up with it during an old FHI discussion on value loading.
Huh. Okay, I’m pretty sure I have an actual memory of inventing this, though I was hesitant about saying so. But I also remember inventing it at a fairly recent MIRI workshop, while the term clearly dates back to at least 2012. Maybe I saw and subconsciously remembered, or maybe “Cake or Death” is just the obvious thing to call utility alternatives.
“Cake or Death” was part of an Eddie Izzard joke from 1998-- I think it has achieved some kind of widespread memetic success, though, since I’ve seen it in quite a few places since.
You probably do have a memory, it’s just false. Human brains do that.
The “Cake or Death” expression has strong Portal connotations for me :-)