The ultimate question is the one of temporal discounting, and that question depends on how much we do/should value those post-singularity life years. If values can’t shift, then there isn’t really anything to talk about; you just ask yourself how much you value those years, and then move on. But if they can shift, and you acknowledge that they can, then we can discuss some thought experiments and stuff.
I think we’re getting closer to agreement as I’m starting to see what you’re getting at. My comment here would be that yes, your values can shift, and they have shifted after thinking hard about what post-Singularity life will be like and getting all excited. But the shift it has caused is a larger multiplier in front of the temporal discounted integral, not the disabling of temporal discounting altogether.
Actually, I wonder what you think of this. Are you someone who sees death as a wildlyterriblething (I am)?
Yes, but I don’t think there is any layer of reasoning beneath that preference. Evading death is just something that is very much hard-coded into us by evolution.
In the pizza example, I think the value shift would moreso be along the lines of “I was prioritizing my current self too much relative to my future selves”. Presumably, post-dinner-values would be incorporating pre-dinner-self.
I don’t think that’s true. Crucially, there is no knowledge being gained over the course of dinner, only value shift. It’s not like you didn’t know beforehand that pizza was unhealthy, or that you will regret your decision. And if post-dinner self does not take explicit steps to manipulate future value, the situation will repeat itself the next day, and the day after, and so on for hundreds of times.
I think we’re getting closer to agreement as I’m starting to see what you’re getting at. My comment here would be that yes, your values can shift, and they have shifted after thinking hard about what post-Singularity life will be like and getting all excited. But the shift it has caused is a larger multiplier in front of the temporal discounted integral, not the disabling of temporal discounting altogether.
I’m in agreement here! Some follow up questions: what are your thoughts on how much discounting should be done? Relatedly, what are your thoughts on how much we should value life? Is it obvious that past eg. 500 years, it’s far enough into the future that it becomes negligible? If not, why aren’t these things that are discussed? Also, do you share my impression that people (on LW) largely assume that life expectancy is something like 80 years and life is valued at something like $10M?
Yes, but I don’t think there is any layer of reasoning beneath that preference. Evading death is just something that is very much hard-coded into us by evolution.
Regardless of whether it stems from a layer of reasoning or whether it is hard-coded, doesn’t it imply that you aren’t doing too much temporal discounting? If you did a lot of temporal discounting and didn’t value the years beyond eg. 250 years old very much, then death wouldn’t be that bad, right?
I think we’re getting closer to agreement as I’m starting to see what you’re getting at. My comment here would be that yes, your values can shift, and they have shifted after thinking hard about what post-Singularity life will be like and getting all excited. But the shift it has caused is a larger multiplier in front of the temporal discounted integral, not the disabling of temporal discounting altogether.
Yes, but I don’t think there is any layer of reasoning beneath that preference. Evading death is just something that is very much hard-coded into us by evolution.
I don’t think that’s true. Crucially, there is no knowledge being gained over the course of dinner, only value shift. It’s not like you didn’t know beforehand that pizza was unhealthy, or that you will regret your decision. And if post-dinner self does not take explicit steps to manipulate future value, the situation will repeat itself the next day, and the day after, and so on for hundreds of times.
I’m in agreement here! Some follow up questions: what are your thoughts on how much discounting should be done? Relatedly, what are your thoughts on how much we should value life? Is it obvious that past eg. 500 years, it’s far enough into the future that it becomes negligible? If not, why aren’t these things that are discussed? Also, do you share my impression that people (on LW) largely assume that life expectancy is something like 80 years and life is valued at something like $10M?
Regardless of whether it stems from a layer of reasoning or whether it is hard-coded, doesn’t it imply that you aren’t doing too much temporal discounting? If you did a lot of temporal discounting and didn’t value the years beyond eg. 250 years old very much, then death wouldn’t be that bad, right?